Published: August 04, 2009 11:24 am         

Toddler's father, three others are indicted for murder

Monticello — The father of a 20-month-old toddler who died May 30 after drinking

drain cleaner has been indicted for murder by the Wayne County Grand Jury.

Three other defendants who were originally charged with manufacturing

methamphetamine in connection with the death of Kayden Daniels have also

been indicted on murder charges.

The multi-count indictment was returned on Tuesday, July 28 and included

murder charges against Bryan Daniels, Alisha Dicken, Danny Anderson II and

James Hunt.

The toddler was pronounced dead at 11:57 p.m. on Saturday, May 30 at

the Wayne County Hospital, after officials say he ingested a drain cleaner

that is used to make meth. The toddler's mother, a 14-year-old juvenile, was

also charged with murder and manufacturing methamphetamine. Her name has not

been released and juvenile court records are sealed. She was not named in

the indictment handed down last week.

A fifth individual, Wesley Bell, was among those originally charged with

manufacturing methamphetamine, after the Boston Hill Road residence where

the incident allegedly occurred was searched. He was not indicted for

murder.

Bell, Dicken, Daniels, Anderson, and Hunt were also indicted for

manufacturing methamphetamine. All five were also indicted for controlled

substance endangerment to a child first degree. That count of the indictment

also included the toddler's grandfather, Larry Branham.

Branham was also named in a separate count for complicity to

manufacturing methamphetamine. He was also included in another count for

engaging in organized crime. Daniels, Anderson, Hunt, Dicken and Bell were

also charged on that count.

Bell was also indicted for persistent felony offender second degree.

During a preliminary hearing, held in June in Wayne District Court,

officers testified that methamphetamine had been manufactured in the home

sometime in the afternoon of May 30.

According to a report from the Coroner's Office, the toddler apparently

drank the drain cleaner at about 11 p.m. that night. Family members rushed

the boy to the local hospital, where he died about an hour later.

Daniels, Anderson, Hunt, Dicken, Bell and Branham are all lodged in the

Wayne County Detention Center under $250,000 cash bond each.

Also during last week's session, the grand jury returned an indictment

against Troy A. McGuire for flagrant non-support. McGuire was also indicted

for persistent felony offender second degree.

The Wayne County Grand Jury will meet for a special session on August 7,

according to court officials.

     

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