On or around October 18, 2022, one-year-old Nevaeh Turner drowned in a bathtub while in the care of Keilan Marshall, who left her without adult supervision. Mr. Marshall appears to have been a male paramour living in the home rather than one of the child's parents. The family had multiple prior DCS reports dating back to 2020, including allegations of physical abuse and neglect, all of which were unsubstantiated. Notably, just five weeks before the fatal incident, a DCS case involving Mr. Marshall and the family was closed after the family ceased communication and stopped cooperating with the Department. Following Nevaeh's death, the Department conducted a joint investigation with the Phoenix Police Department. One surviving child was assessed as safe with their father, while two other children were removed and placed in foster care after a safety plan was violated. On May 1, 2023, the Maricopa County Superior Court found Mr. Marshall neglected the child.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Both documents explicitly confirm drowning. The Fatality-Summary-NT.pdf states: "The child drowned while she was in the care of Keilan Marshall when he left her a bathtub without adult supervision." The Statement-fatality-NT.pdf states: "it was determined the child drowned while she was in the care of Keilan Marshall when he left her in a bathtub without adult supervision."
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Both documents explicitly state that the child drowned due to a lack of supervision. The Fatality-Summary-NT.pdf states: "The child drowned while she was in the care of Keilan Marshall when he left her a bathtub without adult supervision." The Statement-fatality-NT.pdf states: "the child drowned while she was in the care of Keilan Marshall when he left her in a bathtub without adult supervision."
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The Statement-fatality-NT.pdf describes a prior report from June 22, 2020: "The report alleged Mr. Marshall physically assaulted three children in the home he was residing in after one bumped into him on accident." While this is a mention of inflicted injury (physical assault), the allegations were unsubstantiated and pertain to a prior incident involving different children, not the fatal drowning itself.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
The Statement-fatality-NT.pdf describes a prior incident: "The report alleged Mr. Marshall was speeding with the children in the car, and when police attempted to pull him over, he fled with the children still in the car." This is a motor vehicle incident (high-speed police pursuit with children in the vehicle), though it is a prior incident and not the cause of death.
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Keilan Marshall is identified as the person in whose care the child was when she drowned. The text consistently distinguishes Mr. Marshall from "the child's parents" or "Nevaeh's parents." The Fatality-Summary-NT.pdf lists prior reports involving "Nevaeh Turner, Keilan Marshall, and/or the child's parents" as separate entities. The Statement-fatality-NT.pdf describes the June 2020 report: "the children were assessed as safe with their parents as they removed Mr. Marshall from their home," indicating he was living in the home but was not one of the parents. This pattern strongly implies Mr. Marshall was a male paramour (e.g., mother's boyfriend) rather than a parent.
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Both documents detail multiple prior child protection reports. The Fatality-Summary-NT.pdf lists four prior reports: June 22, 2020 (physical abuse by Mr. Marshall), February 9, 2021 (neglect to Nevaeh by her mother), July 13, 2021 (neglect to two children by Nevaeh's parents), and April 26, 2022 (physical abuse to Nevaeh and two siblings by Mr. Marshall), with an additional report on July 19, 2022. All allegations were unsubstantiated. The Statement-fatality-NT.pdf provides additional detail on two of these reports.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
The Fatality-Summary-NT.pdf states: "On May 1, 2023, the Maricopa County Superior Court found Mr. Marshall neglected the child." The Department also "conducted a joint investigation with the Phoenix Police Department," suggesting criminal investigation. However, the court finding appears to be in the context of a dependency proceeding ("The Department filed a dependency petition with the Maricopa County Superior Court"), which is a civil rather than criminal action. No explicit criminal charges or arrest are mentioned in the text.
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable systemic details emerge from the text. The Statement-fatality-NT.pdf notes that regarding the April 2022 DCS report (approximately five months before the fatal incident), "the Department attempted to provide resources and supplies to further assist the family, however, the family ceased communication and did not cooperate. The case was closed on September 13, 2022" — just about five weeks before the child's death on or around October 18, 2022. Additionally, the Statement-fatality-NT.pdf describes that after the death, "A dependency petition was filed for two children that remained in their mother's care with a safety plan in place. After the safety plan was violated, the two children were removed and placed in foster care." The violation of the safety plan for surviving siblings after the fatality is a notable detail about the family's ongoing noncompliance with child safety measures.
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