N.J. Man Claimed His Girlfriend’s Daughter Fell Down Stairs, But Now Admits to Killing Her
A 23-year-old New Jersey man has pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter, admitting he caused the death of his then-girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter.
Travis Graham, of Gloucester Township, admitted he struck Charlette Dawkins with a backhand blow at the top of the stairs of her home in March 2017. He says he hit her with such force that she “was spun around and fell down the steps face first,” according to an affidavit of probable cause first obtained by NJ.com.
Graham initially claimed Charlette fell down the stairs. He also initially said he immediately took her to the hospital, but police found text messages that showed he didn’t seek medical treatment until hours after the incident.
She was pronounced dead at the hospital.
SCOOP: Charges imminent as cops crack killing of 3-year-old Charlette Dawkins last year https://t.co/n1pV314ODM pic.twitter.com/ehTsBqqH3M
— Rebecca Everett (@RebeccajEverett) July 21, 2018
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Graham changed his statement after he was arrested for an unrelated robbery. When police asked him about his drug use, Graham allegedly said, “I just wanted to forget a lot of stuff.” When police asked him what he meant, he mentioned Charlette’s death.
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PEOPLE confirms Graham is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for a string of five separate armed robberies. According to affidavits in those cases, he told police the robberies were fueled by his addiction to Xanax, heroin, and other drugs.
In exchange for his guilty plea to aggravated manslaughter, the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office said it would recommend that the judge sentence him to a total of 30 years in prison. He’ll have to serve at least 25 and a half years.
According to an online obituary, “Charlette was a princess in her own world. She was so smart and had an out of this world personality. She could light up the room with her smile and cared so much about other people. She is a soul that no one will ever forget.”
