Shaniya Davis' Aunt Says Mother, Antoinette Davis, was "Neglectful" Before Child's Murder

By: Edecio Martinez
Topics: Daily Blotter

(CBS/Family Photo)

Photo: Shaniya Davis.

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (CBS/AP) When Shaniya Davis, the 5-year-old girl found dead in rural North Carolina, went to live for the first time with her mother, Antoinette Davis, alarm bells went off for the little girl's aunt.

PICTURES: Shaniya Davis Found Dead
PICTURES: Shaniya Davis' Vigil

"Antoinette and I never really got along because of the way that she neglected her children," Carey Lockhart-Davis said. "I feel robbed. I feel that Shaniya was robbed."

(AP/Fay. Observer/Stephanie Bruce)

Photo: Bradley Lockhart and Carey Lockhart-Davis.

PICTURES: Shaniya Davis Found Dead
PICTURES: Shaniya Davis' Vigil

Lockhart-Davis is the sister of Bradley Lockhart, the girl's father. Bradley Lockhart had raised Shaniya with his sister's help until one month ago, when he agreed to let Shaniya stay with her mother because Bradley Lockhart felt Antoinette Davis, 25, was ready to be a mom again after overcoming financial problems.

(AP/City of Fayetteville Police Dept)

Photo: Antoinette Davis, 25.

PICTURES: Shaniya Davis Found Dead
PICTURES: Shaniya Davis' Vigil

"She had asked if she could be a mother, and I felt she was sincere in asking, and I figured to give her a chance," he told CBS' The Early Show.

"I should've never let her go over there," he told The Associated Press last Saturday.

According to police, Antoinette Davis sold her young daughter as a sex slave before the little girl turned up dead.

(AP Photo/Jim R. Bounds)

Candlelight vigil for Shaniya Davis in Sanford, N.C., Nov. 16, 2009.

PICTURES: Shaniya Davis Found Dead
PICTURES: Shaniya Davis' Vigil

She has been charged with human trafficking and felony child abuse. More charges are expected today.

Her sister, Brenda Davis, has said she does not believe the charges and argued that Antoinette would not hurt her children. Antoinette Davis' aunt, Leona Cromertie, said Antoinette is PICTURES: Shaniya Davis Found Dead
PICTURES: Shaniya Davis' Vigil

Searchers discovered the girl's body Monday, nearly a week after Antoinette Davis reported her missing from a mobile home park in Fayetteville, an hour south of Raleigh.

Maria Andrette McNeill has also been charged in the case. He was seen on a hotel surveillance video carrying Shaniya down a hallway on the day she went missing. He turned himself into police Nov. 13 and, according to his lawyer, plans to plead not guilty to a kidnapping charge. Police claim he admitted the crime.

Still, no one has been charged with Shaniya's murder. As of Tuesday morning, Fayetteville police said they had no new charges in the case.

An autopsy was being conducted to determine how Shaniya Davis died.

In the meantime, Shaniya was remembered by family and friends in two vigils.

"She was just learning how to ride her scooter," Bradley Lockhart said at an emotional news conference. "Every day was special with Shaniya."

MEDIA
PICTURES: Shaniya Davis Found Dead
PICTURES: Shaniya Davis' Vigil

MORE ON CRIMESIDER
November 18, 2009 - Shaniya Davis' Little Body Found Near Deer Carcasses in Trash
November 18, 2009 - Police: No New Charges for Shaniya Davis' Death ...For Now
November 18, 2009 - Shaniya Davis' Aunt Says Mother, Antoinette Davis, was "Neglectful" Before Child's Murder
November 17, 2009 - Shaniya Davis Vigil: Tearful Father Bradley Lockhart Prays, "She's Right There With You"
November 17, 2009 - Antoinette Davis, Mom Accused of Selling Shaniya Davis as Sex Slave, is Pregnant Again
November 17, 2009 - Shaniya Davis, Fallen "Angel" Remembered In Pictures
November 16, 2009 - Mario Andrette McNeill: Things May Get Much Worse for Man Charged With Kidnapping Shaniya Davis
November 16, 2009 - Shaniya Davis Found Dead; Mother Turned Little Girl Into Sex Slave, Say Police
November 16, 2009 - Bradley Lockhart, Shaniya Davis' Father, Pled For Girl's Return in Vain
November 16, 2009 - Shaniya Davis Found Dead; Mother Turned Little Girl Into Sex Slave, Say Police
November 16, 2009 - Shaniya Davis Not Found: Cops Fear Missing Child is Dead, Search Focuses on Body
November 16, 2009 - Shaniya Davis: Missing 5-Year-Old Seen in Horrifying Hotel Video
November 16, 2009 - Shaniya Davis Missing: Mother Arrested for Human Trafficking, Putting Daughter in "Sexual Servitude"
November 11, 2009 - 5-Year-Old Shaniya Davis Missing; Foul Play Suspected

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by decbaby1306 November 24, 2009 3:18 AM EST: Too many kids having bad stuff happening to them. It's either by a stranger, friend or in this case family. This world isn't safe for our children and it seems like each year it gets worse. Even in our own home things go wrong. Just like the monster who was Shaniya's mom. But even strangers kidnappinr or murderjng children in their own homes. The one place thats suppose yo be safe, isn't. I'm a mother of an almost 3 yr old little girl. I want to have more kids but I'm scared with all of the craziness that goes on in this world. As a parent you do the best you can to keep your child(s) but sometimes your best isn't good enough with all these nut jobs at there doing stuff to the kids. I think a parent that has a child raped and killed by a monster, should be able to give their own sentencing. I also think in this case the monther should have a murder charge along with the other charges. I really want to know what she is thinking now since her little angel is in the hands of god now. She brought her child into a world she should of never been in. If she needed money she should of sold her own body, not just that she could of got help. This little girl was disrespected the last month she was alive and even when she died, being placed by dead deer. I live 20 mins away from where they found her body and visit there to place a stuff animal with other stuff that people left. A women said there was a dead deer close by, but I wasn't looking for it. I was there to pay my respects. As soon as I pulled up there I was choked up. It's unbelievable that anyone could do this. If it was my little girl, I swear they would need the cops to stop me from trying to get into the jail that monster is in.

Shaniya I'm so sorry you had to go through the pain psyhically and mentally before you lost your life. No child should of. I know you have peace now and you are in good hands with god. Now you are a beautiful angel. God Bless; Reply to this comment


by decbaby1306 November 24, 2009 3:18 AM EST: Too many kids having bad stuff happening to them. It's either by a stranger, friend or in this case family. This world isn't safe for our children and it seems like each year it gets worse. Even in our own home things go wrong. Just like the monster who was Shaniya's mom. But even strangers kidnappinr or murderjng children in their own homes. The one place thats suppose yo be safe, isn't. I'm a mother of an almost 3 yr old little girl. I want to have more kids but I'm scared with all of the craziness that goes on in this world. As a parent you do the best you can to keep your child(s) but sometimes your best isn't good enough with all these nut jobs at there doing stuff to the kids. I think a parent that has a child raped and killed by a monster, should be able to give their own sentencing. I also think in this case the monther should have a murder charge along with the other charges. I really want to know what she is thinking now since her little angel is in the hands of god now. She brought her child into a world she should of never been in. If she needed money she should of sold her own body, not just that she could of got help. This little girl was disrespected the last month she was alive and even when she died, being placed by dead deer. I live 20 mins away from where they found her body and visit there to place a stuff animal with other stuff that people left. A women said there was a dead deer close by, but I wasn't looking for it. I was there to pay my respects. As soon as I pulled up there I was choked up. It's unbelievable that anyone could do this. If it was my little girl, I swear they would need the cops to stop me from trying to get into the jail that monster is in.

Shaniya I'm so sorry you had to go through the pain psyhically and mentally before you lost your life. No child should of. I know you have peace now and you are in good hands with god. Now you are a beautiful angel. God Bless; Reply to this comment


by ericamp November 23, 2009 9:05 AM EST: I have always found it unsettling that a parent especially a mother could do anything seriously or otherwise hurt any child, but to harm your own child you have to be completely out of your mind. I agree with you Ms. Lockhart-Davis when she commented on how those convicts get taken care of after being locked up while people that are law abiding get the shaft when a time may come they need help. Myself and my husband are in that boat right now and no matter stressed we get from our troubles I can assure you that we would NEVER hurt our children. Im sure anyone parent or not is feeling the families pain if they have a heart. If I had any power to change the way we deal with criminals like the people in this case and others would save millions of dollars. I could go on but unfortunetly Shaniya can't so unless we start loving our children and their friends that don't have parents who care we will be a nation of people who don't care.; Reply to this comment


by mcarson43 November 21, 2009 4:35 PM EST: It is sad what the levels of addiction can cause an individual to become capable of doing these days and times. This area of drug/alochol addiction is so strange now and so hard for individuals to recover today and we are finding that people are relly stuggling with addictions, because the lack of treatment facilities and long term treatment actually no longer exist in North Carolina. This young lady is very sick and this is truly a tragdey, but the disease of addiction does not discrimate. Prayers go out to this family.; Reply to this comment


by LS9969 November 20, 2009 2:42 PM EST: I am a mother of 2 my boys are with me unless they are in school I don't allow them to stay with anyone that I do not trust if they ask to stay over night I need to know everything about this person I am sorry but these are my kids they are my life and i know that i can't protect them from everything but if i feel insecure about anything they just don't go a mother that loves her children has a inner intuition and my kids are my life they are 12 and 14 but they don't hang out on the corner with the other boys and girls because i don't want them around drugs they don't even stay with family members because I don't feel that they take care of their kids the way i do, and my kids get to do alot but if they go to a ball game i go with them if they are playing ball i take them and i stay with them and i bring them home I know that i can't be with them all times but don't take chances when it comes to your children investigate the situation that way hopefully you don't have these kind of regrets to live with, and how in gods name do you rape a 5 year old child this is a monster that needs tied outside and let the bugs and rats eat him alive i can't even think of the things this person deserves but the first thing i would do is cut his private part off with a very dull knife and no doctoring, I am very sorry but this was a 5 year old child my heart goes out to the family may god help you to go on with your lives; Reply to this comment


by poorerobin November 20, 2009 12:49 PM EST: What about this child sex slave business? Lets find this network of perverts, and the people who sell their children to them, and rid this earth of them. This woman sold her daughter to someone--lets get names! This piece of filth can't be the only one out there! These two monsters have alot of time on their hands--so let's put it to use. Have them provide names of other potential child molesters, and get them off the streets! These animals can not be rehabilitated (look at the murderer in California of a mother and her young son--he had a previous record for killing a child--only 6 years spent). Its time to use the death penalty--put it on overtime for these horrendous creatures! Some people do not deserve the right to breathe--and we are looking at two of them--McNeil and Davis! Spare us the excuses--and KILL them!; Reply to this comment


by THEKATTT November 20, 2009 12:30 PM EST: We need to KILL all child sex-offenders.Period. They cannot be fixed. We need to test ALL Americans for drugs to identify the users and force treatment or incarcerate them. We would also help Mexico's war on drugs by doing this because WE are who they sell to. Stop this kind of depravity at the source or it will always continue. Who deserves our pity, druggies and perverts or all the innocent children yet to be hurt?; Reply to this comment

by Duchessdana November 19, 2009 8:32 PM EST

I hate it when family members get all self-righteous AFTER the fact. What about her brother? 6 children, 3 different mothers. One child given back to an irresponsible mother, one child thrown out of her brother's house and living with friends. Um, as we say in our family, um, kettle you're black. Support your brother, talk him into getting "fixed" and let the court system handle this "mother." Oh, and help your parents take care of the 3 children that your brother had and is not taking care of, except monetary. She needs to keep her mouth shut because it's a bit too late to act "holier than thou." Not excusing for a minute what this "mother" did, but YOU ALL dropped the ball. Don't try to fob the blame on others, there enough for all of you!

Reply to this comment


by shkai November 20, 2009 10:57 AM EST: that may be but he didnt sell his daughter for money to someone who raped and killed her her so called mother did.


by tarie2009 November 24, 2009 1:28 AM EST: I agree. I can't understand why more people don't see things from this perspective. As far as shkai is concerned, daddy didn't sell his daughter. You're right. HE GAVE HER AWAY How is that any better.


by rfague November 19, 2009 7:29 PM EST: I wish that Ms. Lockhart-Davis had listened to her intuition, those alarm bells mentioned in the article, Shaniya just might still be alive.

This is a tragic example of what can happen when we ignore our built in defense and warning mechanisms.

Check out "The Gift Of Fear" by Gavin De Becker, a masterful work on this very subject.

Poor sweet little angel. Her mother can't hurt her anymore.; Reply to this comment


by rematenaj November 19, 2009 2:40 PM EST: goirish, I'm with you! What a sweet face! I don't know how anyone could hurt her!; Reply to this comment