According to court documents, the defendant, a 31-year-old named Travis, has been found guilty in the tragic death of 3-year-old Khalesi. The prosecution successfully secured convictions on all charges, which included aggravated murder, felony murder, child abuse, child cruelty, concealing a deceased body, and conspiracy. Notably, Khalesi’s body has never been recovered, adding to the complexity of the case.
Throughout the investigation, the defendant provided investigators with varying accounts of the events. Initially, he claimed that the 3-year-old child was not deceased. Later, he admitted that the child had died but asserted that she had intentionally harmed herself by striking her head against a doorframe. In a startling twist, the defendant’s attorney contended that another adult, not Travis, was responsible for the fatal abuse inflicted upon the young girl.
The court documents reveal that Khalesi came to reside with Travis after her mother, Amanda, was incarcerated for violating probation. Amanda had recommended that her friend Candi, who had previously offered to babysit, care for her child. Candi also shared the residence with Travis.
Over time, the child began to display visible injuries, including cuts, bruises, and hair loss, as reported by the Leader. Subsequently, her condition deteriorated drastically. Witnesses testified that she became emaciated to the point of being unrecognizable, with extensive cuts, bruises, swollen and purple feet, and burns. Her once lush hair had fallen out, leaving her nearly bald. A chilling video presented in court captured the frightened, trembling, and confused child standing in a bathtub filled with her own waste. An off-camera voice, identified by prosecutors as Candi’s, can be heard saying, “No one likes you, Khalesi.” This marked the last day Amanda communicated with her daughter.
Khalesi’s mother reported her missing in September 2021, several months after her tragic demise, and her body had been discarded in the trash. Amanda remembered her daughter as consistently happy before she went to live with Candi and Travis. She made multiple attempts to connect with her beloved daughter, but each time, she received excuses.
During closing arguments, Commonwealth’s Attorney Martin declared, “Travis and his girlfriend tortured Khalesi to death. He threw her away. She was somebody’s baby, and once he was done with her he threw her away.” Under state law, Travis will receive an automatic life sentence in prison with no possibility of parole on February 8, 2024. Candi’s trial, facing identical charges, is set to commence on October 16.
