On April 8, 2022, three-year-old My'Royal Bennett was found dead under a mattress in the basement of a rowhome on the 4700 block of Vancouver Road in Southwest Baltimore after firefighters responded to a mattress fire. Anthya Barnett, a 26-year-old woman who lived in the townhouse with My'Royal and her biological mother Danielle Shanae Parnell, was later arrested and confessed to placing the child under the mattress and setting it on fire. Barnett claimed My'Royal was already unconscious, but police stated the child was burnt alive. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide caused by multiple injuries. Barnett was seen on video leaving the home in a U-Haul truck with her three children around the time of the fire. She was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree arson, and first-degree child abuse, but was subsequently ruled incompetent to stand trial due to intractable delusions. My'Royal's biological mother was found dead on the side of I-95 four days later, also ruled a homicide, with police later confirming she was killed at the same Vancouver Road location.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
The medical examiner report (MD_22_2161.pdf) describes the injury as "Mattress placed on subject and set on fire," with cause of death listed as "Multiple injuries" and manner of death as "Homicide." The WMAR article further details that "Detectives said Barnett admitted to lighting a basement mattress on fire with My'Royal underneath it" and "police say she was burnt alive." This constitutes a deliberate inflicted injury.
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?
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)?
The WMAR article states that "26-year-old Anthya Barnett lived in the townhouse with My'Royal and Danielle" and that she admitted to killing the child. Barnett is not described as a relative, foster parent, or hired caregiver. Her exact relationship to Danielle Parnell (the biological mother) is not specified, but as a female non-relative who shared the household, she most closely fits the category of a female friend or paramour who was involved in the death.
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
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)?
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 WMAR article states "we've also now learned police made an arrest in May 2022 in connection with My'Royal's case." The Baltimore Witness article specifies that "Barnett is charged with first-degree murder, first-degree arson and first-degree child abuse resulting in the death of a child under the age of 13."
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?
The Baltimore Witness article reports that Judge Rasin "had reports the defendant was having 'intractable delusions'" and that Barnett was ruled "currently incompetent to stand trial and a danger to herself and others." Barnett's attorney also noted the defendant wished to apply for a "not criminally responsible" plea. These references clearly pertain to the mental health of a household caregiver (Barnett lived in the same home as the child).
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 details emerge from the text. First, My'Royal's biological mother, Danielle Shanae Parnell, was found dead on the side of I-95 just four days after My'Royal's murder, and her death was also ruled a homicide. The WMAR article reports that "detectives have still not officially confirmed whether the mother and daughter's slayings are connected" but that "both My'Royal and Danielle were killed at the same location." Second, the accused perpetrator Anthya Barnett was ruled incompetent to stand trial due to "intractable delusions" and wished to apply for a "not criminally responsible" plea, meaning the case has not proceeded to trial. Third, Barnett was described in the Baltimore Witness article as having "confessed to murdering the 3-year-old child My'Royal Bennett because she thought that the baby was unconscious," while police say the child was burnt alive. The unresolved murder of the mother, the perpetrator's mental health status blocking trial proceedings, and the disputed consciousness of the child at the time of the fire are all substantive details that materially affect understanding of this case.
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