Antioch police arrest woman on suspicion of abusing, killing adopted teen

Theresa Harrington

Contra Costa Timees

ANTIOCH — Antioch police Tuesday afternoon arrested a 37-year-old woman on suspicion of abusing and killing her 15-year-old adopted daughter, as well as abusing two other children living in the woman's home.

"This is my 24th year on the police force and this is the worst case I've ever seen," said Lt. Leonard Orman, who is investigating the incident. "It's very severe."

Police arrested Shemeeka Davis at a home in the 3700 block of Kildeer Drive at 3:15 p.m., after being called to the residence regarding a deceased girl. Orman said it appeared the girl had been the victim of obvious long-term abuse, which caused her death, but he declined to elaborate.

An autopsy will determine the cause of death in the next couple of days, Orman said. The other two children — Davis' 7-year-old daughter and the 15-year-old twin brother of the dead girl — were removed from the home and placed in protective custody.

Davis was booked into Antioch jail on suspicion of one count of murder, three counts of felony corporal punishment and enhancements for causing great bodily injury. Orman said Tuesday night that Davis would eventually be transferred to the county detention facility in Martinez.

Based on interviews with the surviving children, Davis' estranged boyfriend and other relatives, Orman said no father is associated with the family and it appears that Davis adopted the 15-year-old children when they were babies. Neither of

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the teens has attended school in the past couple of years, but Orman was not sure whether the younger daughter had been attending school.

Police had no record of calls to the home regarding suspected child abuse, Orman said. He was unsure whether Children and Family Services had any record of complaints regarding the children.