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Foster mother faces homicide charge

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Charge upgraded against nurse in baby boy’s death

RICK BRUNDRETT

A pediatric nurse and foster mother charged in the February death of a 9-month-old boy now faces a more serious charge of homicide by child abuse, authorities said Tuesday.

A Richland County grand jury indicted Angela Deniece Dukes, 30, on the upgraded charge, which carries a prison sentence of 20 years to life, said Babs Lindsay, spokeswoman for 5th Circuit Solicitor Barney Giese.

The Columbia woman, who has no prior South Carolina record, has remained in the Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center since her May 6 arrest on a lesser charge of unlawful conduct toward a child, which carries a maximum 10-year sentence.

Her bail on the lesser charge was set at $250,000. Lindsay said a bail hearing on the upgraded charge likely will be held later this week or early next.

It was unclear Tuesday whether Dukes had an attorney.

State Law Enforcement Division Director Reggie Lloyd earlier said his agency initially filed the lesser charge because agents wanted to arrest Dukes as quickly as possible before she went to work at Palmetto Health Richland.

Dukes confessed to taping Curtis Williams’ mouth shut to hold a pacifier in place, Lloyd said. She had been caring for the infant in foster care after Cayce police found him with his biological mother, Katrina Jivers, in a marijuana-smoke-filled motel room in Cayce on Feb. 7 — the day before he died, authorities said.

Curtis’ grandmother Shirley Jivers, 50, of Cayce, said Tuesday the upgraded charge against Dukes was appropriate.

“How could she do something like that?” she asked.

Jivers hopes the case will change the state’s foster care system for the better, adding, “Unfortunately, it takes something like this to get people to really look at how the system works.”

Dukes had been a foster mother for 11 months and had no prior complaints against her in the care of three other children, state Department of Social Services officials said earlier. Her foster care license was revoked after the initial charge was filed against her, officials said.

Dukes had worked in the intermediate care section of the neonatal intensive care unit at Palmetto Health Richland since August 2006, and had no complaints against her, a hospital spokeswoman said earlier. In her job, Dukes dealt with babies who improved enough to transfer from critical care.

Dukes was suspended without pay after the hospital was notified about the original charge, the spokeswoman said.

It was unclear whether her employment status would be affected by the more serious charge. Efforts Tuesday to reach hospital officials were unsuccessful.

A trial date for Dukes had not been set, Lindsay said.

Staff writer Lee Higgins contributed. Reach Brundrett at (803) 771-8484

2009 May 20