A tragic case in Missouri ended with the life sentence of a babysitter who killed a 4-year-old boy she was looking after. Quatavia Givens, 33, admitted to beating and smothering Darnell Gray in October 2018. Shockingly, Givens took part in a six-day search for the boy after making up a story about his disappearance.
The Babysitter’s Deception
Givens reported Darnell missing on the morning of October 25, 2018, claiming he had disappeared from his father’s home in Jefferson City. She even joined volunteers in searching for him and gave interviews about his supposed disappearance.
Police say Givens told the story that Darnell either ran away or had been abducted. She said his backpack, coat, hat, gloves, juice boxes, and cookies were also missing. Volunteers recalled how carefully she planned her story, counting items and acting concerned.
Darnell’s Family
Darnell’s father, Kijuanis Gray, had moved from Chicago to Missouri a few years earlier for a better life and left Darnell with Givens on that morning. He said he trusted her to take care of his only child and was devastated by the tragedy. Darnell’s mother still lived in Chicago.
A GoFundMe page described Darnell’s death as coming “at the hand” of Givens, identifying her as his babysitter.
Investigation and Autopsy
After Darnell’s body was found in the woods, Givens admitted to police that she may have “hit him wrong” and had hidden his body. An autopsy confirmed that Darnell died from blunt force trauma and was smothered.
Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson called the case “one of the most painful tragedies our community has faced” and noted the importance of holding Givens accountable.
Delays in the Case
The case faced several delays, including a long wait for the autopsy report, which took almost a year due to studies on Darnell’s brain. Givens was also previously found incompetent to proceed, causing further delays before the case could move forward.
Guilty Plea and Sentence
On Friday, Givens pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, child ab*se, and abandonment of a corpse. She was sentenced to life in prison plus 15 years, with the possibility of parole after 30 years.
Prosecutor Thompson said Givens’ plea provides accountability for the defendant, closure for the community, and justice for Darnell.
