Insets from left: Destiny Dionne and Joshua Latimer (Oconee County Jail) and Isaiah Dionne (Brown Funerals). Background: Destiny Dionne, in OCDC shirt, during a bond hearing (WHNS).
Authorities have released disturbing details surrounding the tragic death of a 4-year-old boy from South Carolina, allegedly at the hands of his mother and her husband, a police officer, according to law enforcement officials.
Joshua Emanuel Lamar Latimer, 30, and Destiny Shay Dionne, 24, face charges of homicide by child abuse and unlawful conduct toward a child following the death of Isaiah Dionne, as reported by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
In September, officers from the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence on Forest Acres Circle in Walhalla, about 45 miles west of Greenville. Upon arrival, they discovered the lifeless body of the young boy. Authorities noted the child was severely underweight, tipping the scales at just 21 pounds.
According to an arrest warrant, Isaiah’s ribs were prominently visible, and his eyes appeared sunken into his head.
The accused are currently held without bond at the Oconee County Jail. Latimer, who was employed as a trooper with the South Carolina Highway Patrol, was dismissed following his arrest.
During a bond hearing for Dionne, as reported by local Fox affiliate WHNS, prosecutors disclosed further allegations. Tenth Circuit Solicitor Micah Black shared insights into the observations made by first responders.
“He was basically skin and bones, for a lack of a better word,” Black reportedly said. “One of the EMS personnel basically described it as … similar to something you’d see on TV, to starving children in Africa.”
The boy was also forced to sleep on a blanket instead of a bed and the curtains to his room were stapled shut, per cops. Investigators believe the suspects allegedly locked Isaiah in the closet and forced him to drink water from the toilet.
WHNS reports that the boy lived with his maternal grandmother for the first two years of his life, but moved in with his mother and Latimer when the couple started dating. After Isaiah moved in with them, he was allegedly treated differently than his younger sibling who appeared to be fine. He didn’t see a doctor over a span of two years, cops say.
Neighbors told cops when they took food to the family, they would allegedly witness Isaiah eat adult-sized meals which they found odd.
The judge denied bond and ordered Dionne to remain in jail. If convicted, the suspects will face between 20 years and life behind bars.
Isaiah’s obituary called him “the most beautiful baby boy.”
“As Isaiah grew, so did his personality. Knowing him was such an amazing experience; he was always happy. Isaiah’s smile could light up a room, and his laugh would warm your heart,” the obituary said.
