On August 18, 2022, Capitol Heights police responded to the 5100 block of Cumberland Street for a report of an unresponsive child. Five-year-old Pradeline Delinois was rushed to a hospital in Washington, D.C., where she was pronounced dead a short time later. An autopsy conducted by the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the cause of death to be multiple blunt force injuries and ruled the manner of death a homicide. An investigation determined that the child's injuries occurred while in the care and custody of her father, 44-year-old Pradel Delinois, and stepmother, 42-year-old Ornelie Charles. Both were arrested and charged; Charles faced charges of assault, child abuse resulting in death, and neglect of a minor, while Pradel Delinois faced charges of child abuse resulting in death and neglect of a minor.
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 ME report (DC_22-02502-1.pdf) lists the cause of death as "Multiple Blunt Force Injuries" with manner of death as "Homicide." The NBC Washington article states the stepmother faces an "assault" charge in addition to "child abuse resulting in death." While no specific mechanism (slapping, punching, kicking, etc.) is described, the cause of death being multiple blunt force injuries ruled as homicide, combined with the assault charge, strongly implies deliberately inflicted physical 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?
Multiple sources identify Pradel Delinois as the child's father. The Washington Post states the "father and stepmother of 5-year-old Pradeline Delinois" were charged. The NBC Washington article confirms "The child's father, 44-year-old Pradel Delinois" was "arrested and charged" with "child abuse resulting in death and neglect of a minor." The shared surname further supports that he is the biological father.
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)?
Multiple sources identify Ornelie Charles as the child's stepmother. The Washington Post states the abuse took place while in the "care and custody" of the father and "stepmother, 42-year-old Ornelie Charles." The NBC Washington article reports that "Charles faces three charges: assault, child abuse resulting in death and neglect of a minor."
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 Washington Post reports that "Police have charged the father and stepmother of 5-year-old Pradeline Delinois with child abuse and neglect after the girl died." The NBC Washington article further details: "Charles faces three charges: assault, child abuse resulting in death and neglect of a minor. Pradel Delinois faces two charges: child abuse resulting in death and neglect of a minor." Both were arrested and charged.
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
The case involves a notable cross-jurisdictional element: the child resided in Capitol Heights, Maryland, and the abuse occurred there, but she was transported to and pronounced dead at a hospital in Washington, D.C. As a result, the D.C. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner conducted the autopsy, while Prince George's County Police conducted the homicide investigation. The NBC Washington article notes: "Capitol Heights police officers responded to the 5100 block of Cumberland Street, near the D.C. border, on August 18" and "Pradeline Delinois was rushed to a hospital in D.C., where she was pronounced dead." The ME report from D.C. includes a caveat that "the file included the 'postmortem examination date', but not the exact date of death." This jurisdictional split means the death appears in D.C.'s medical examiner records despite the underlying incident occurring in Maryland, which could affect how the case is counted in state-level child mortality statistics.
These fields were populated by an AI model and may contain inaccuracies. Review the links and PDFs provided for verification before citing. Contact [email protected] to report any inaccuracies where corrections are needed.