Francis Lyles | Homicide Watch DC

Defense Believes Francis Lyles Should Be Screened for Postpartum Depression

Imari Williams — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 20:30:21 -0500

Francis Lyles is competent to stand trial following a 24-hour forensic examination, but Judge Jennifer Anderson ordered Lyles to undergo additional treatment at a D.C. jail.

"I can't send you to St. Elizabeths Hospital because the jail found you competent, but you should seek follow up treatment," Judge Anderson said in court Friday.

Defense attorney, Elliott Queen said the exam mentioned that Lyles suffered from depression, but was vague in its level and recommended that she be screened for postpartum depression.

Lyles, 25, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, along with three counts of cruelty to children and obstruction of justice for the death of her three year-old son Xavier Lyles on June 24.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Wright reminded the court that "Lyles led law enforcement to believe that her boyfriend murdered the child and lied to a grand jury."

Lyles is scheduled for a status hearing January 9, 2015 in courtroom 318.

Francis Lyles Indicted in Fatal Beating of Toddler

Imari Williams — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 12:16:39 -0500

Francis Lyles pleaded innocent Wednesday to two counts of first-degree felony murder, along with three counts of cruelty to children and obstruction of justice for the June 24 beating death of her 3-year-old son Xavier Lyles.

The toddler was found in the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road Southeast unconscious and unresponsive, with multiple injuries. According to prosecutors, she used so much force that the child sustained a lacerated liver, ruptured kidneys and bleeding around his heart, among other injuries.

On October 24, Lyles was expected to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter and perjury, but recanted her guilty plea and requested a new attorney after a judge asked her to explain what happened, in her own words, to her son.

"Your Honor, I didn't hurt my baby!" she told the judge. "I want a chance to get a lawyer and a new case!"

Lyles sobbed as marshals escorted her out of the courtroom, still calling out: "I didn't hurt my baby and I need a new lawyer! I'm sorry Your Honor but I didn’t hurt my baby!"

Family members said they are looking to hire a private attorney to represent Lyles, in place of David Maxted, her court-appointed public defender.

Documents say Lyles told police that she left the apartment for approximately 20 to 30 minutes while her boyfriend watched Xavier and that Xavier was sleeping when she returned. In an interview, Lyles initially told police that she “hardly ever physically disciplines her children” and that her boyfriend doesn't hit them at all, but in a later interview she said she hits them occasionally and believed that her boyfriend must have hurt Xavier while she was gone, according to documents.

Witnesses told police that on the night before the child's death, they heard "screaming and hollering" coming from Lyles' apartment and that Lyles is known to abuse her children. A witness provided police with recorded telephone conversations where Lyles boasted to it that she "f**ked him up good," after Xavier tripped over a bouncer seat.

Lyles is scheduled for ascertainment of counsel November 19 before Judge Jennifer Anderson.

A copy of the indictment is below:

Frances Lyles Recants Guilty Plea: "I didn't hurt my baby!"

Amelia Rufer — Fri, 24 Oct 2014 19:20:37 -0400

The courtroom was silent Friday in the moments before Frances Lyles was expected to plead guilty to voluntary manslaughter and perjury.

"Is this what happened?" Judge Jennifer Anderson asked Lyles after a prosecutor read the proffer of facts outlining the gruesome beating death of her 3-year-old son, Xavier.

Minutes passed while Lyles struggled to speak. Then, Lyles took a deep breath and answered, "Yes."

But when the judge asked her to explain to the court in her own words the events that led up to her child's death, Lyles was silent.

According to the proffer of facts, on the night of June 23, 2014, Lyles became upset and repeatedly hit her son. She used so much force, prosecutors said, that the child sustained a lacerated liver, ruptured kidneys and bleeding around his heart, among other injuries. He was put to bed and left alone in his room for 15 hours.

At 11:07 a.m. the following day, Lyles called 911 when she found him in his bed, unconscious and unresponsive, documents say. When authorities arrived at Lyle's home on Pomeroy Road Southeast, the toddler was pronounced dead.

"Only you know what happened so I need to hear you say it in your own words," Judge Anderson said. But Lyles stayed silent.

Family members who were in the court room urged Lyles to refrain from admitting guilt before the court marshal silenced them.

Lyles, trying to hold back tears, turned and looked at her family.

"Did you strike your child?" Judge Anderson asked.

Suddenly, Lyles began to shout as she recanted her guilty plea.

"Your Honor, I didn't hurt my baby! I want a chance to get a lawyer and a new case! I didn't hurt my baby and I need a new lawyer!" Lyles cried as marshals escorted her out of the courtroom. "I'm sorry Your Honor but I didn’t hurt my baby!"

A felony status conference has been set for October 29 at 9:30 a.m., where Judge Anderson will decide whether she will grant Lyles' request for a new attorney.

Francis Lyles Held in the Death of 3-Year-Old Son

Imari Williams — Thu, 18 Sep 2014 08:12:49 -0400

Francis Lyles was ordered held Wednesday on suspicion of first-degree felony murder and first-degree cruelty to children in connection to the death of Xavier Lyles.

Police found the 3-year-old toddler unconscious and unresponsive in the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road Southeast, with multiple injuries to his body on June 24.

Lyles told police that while Xavier was sleeping the night of June 23, she left the apartment for approximately 20 to 30 minutes to get some food from a nearby cousin's apartment, according to charging documents.

According to Lyles, her boyfriend watched Xavier while she was gone and Xavier was still sleeping when she returned, documents say.

Lyles' boyfriend told police he didn't see anything unusual that night because he left around 7:30 p.m.

Lyles told police that she didn't check on the toddler again until morning. When she noticed he wasn't responding, she called her cousin and then 911.

In an interview, Lyles initially told police that she "hardly ever physically disciplines her children" and that her boyfriend doesn't hit them at all, but in a later interview she said she hits them occasionally and believed that her boyfriend must have hurt Xavier while she was gone, according to documents.

Lyles' boyfriend told police he never hit Xavier, but has witnessed Lyles beating the children and punching the toddler in the chest with a closed fist after the child soiled his clothing, documents say.

According to charging documents, Lyles' nine-year-old daughter told police when Xavier got in trouble he would receive "butt whippings" and that her mommy spanked Xavier all the time because he was "bad."

Lyles' daughter also told police that her mother's boyfriend never hit her or 3-year-old Xavier Lyles, documents say.

Witnesses told police that they heard "screaming and hollering" coming from Lyles' apartment the night before and that Lyles has a history of abuse towards her children, documents say.

A witness provided recorded telephone conversations to police where Lyles boasted to it that she "f**ked him up good," after Xavier tripped over a bouncer seat.

Lyles is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on October 2 before Judge Lynn Leibovitz.

A copy of charging documents are below.

Frances Lyles Arrested in the Death of 3-Year-Old Xavier Lyles

Megan Arellano — Tue, 16 Sep 2014 14:49:27 -0400

A 25-year-old Southeast D.C. woman was arrested Tuesday in connection with the June death of 3-year-old Xavier Lyles.

The woman, identified by police as Frances Lyles, is suspected of first-degree felony murder.

The toddler was found unconscious and unresponsive, with no signs consistent with life at approximately 11:07 a.m. on June 24, according to police. The Washington Post reports that Frances Lyles told police that she put her son Xavier to bed the previous night, but the next morning, the boy’s sister found that he had vomited and was unresponsive.

A press release from MPD is after the jump.

Arrest Made in Homicide: 2500 block of Pomeroy Rd. SE
Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch announced an arrest has been made in the homicide of 3-year-old Xavier Lyles, which occurred on Tuesday, June 24, 2014 in the 2500 block of Pomeroy Road, Southeast. The cause of death was determined to be multiple blunt force injuries.

On Tuesday, September 16, 2014, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested 25-year-old Frances Lyles, of Southeast and charged her with First Degree Felony Murder in the death of Xavier Lyles.