South Carolina mother charged with homicide after twin 9-month-old boys apparently suffocate

Wednesday, October 11th 2006, 9:57 pm

By: News On 6

MONCKS CORNER, S.C. (AP) -- A mother told police she smothered her twin 9-month-old boys because they were crying in her bed and then she went back to sleep, authorities said Wednesday.

Sheriff's investigators responded to a call from a relative who lived in the home, where one of the infants was found on the floor and the other on a bed. The children's mother, Lakeia Nicole White, 20, was not at home.

Sheriff Wayne DeWitt said White was taken in for questioning when she arrived later Wednesday.

It appeared Davion and Trevon Wilson had been asphyxiated but authorities were awaiting autopsy results, officials said.

"There were no bruise marks anywhere on any of the children or anything that showed any kind of neglect," Berkeley County Coroner Glenn Rhoad said. "They were well dressed and well cared for."

White was charged with homicide by child abuse, the sheriff said. White waived a bond hearing scheduled for Wednesday evening. Her attorney Steve Davis could not be reached for comment.

The Rev. Willis Goodwin of Centenary United Methodist Church, speaking on behalf of the family, said he baptized the twins two weeks ago.

"She was a very, very quiet and orderly girl," Goodwin said of White. He referred to the twins as "beautiful kids -- little angels."

Moncks Corner is about 30 miles north of Charleston.