DC Couple Awaits Sentencing After Pleading Guilty To Charges In Death Of 2-Year-Old

WASHINGTON, DC — A D.C. couple pleaded guilty in Superior Court on Thursday to charges in connection with the death of a 2-year-old boy who had suffered extensive injuries while in their care, according the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.

Antonio Turner, 29, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the death of Gabriel Eason. Ta'Jeanna Eason, 32, the boy’s mother, pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree cruelty to children.

Turner also pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree cruelty to children for injuries suffered by another of Eason’s sons, who was 3 years old at the time. Additionally, he pleaded guilty to a felony assault charge for attacking a woman after a traffic crash, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

The pleas, contingent upon approval in D.C. Superior Court, call for Turner to be sentenced to seven to 13 years in prison.

Eason is to be sentenced to six years in prison, with that time suspended, on the condition that she have no future unsupervised contact with children and that she participates in mental health and drug treatment. Eason would be placed on a period of probation and supervised release.

Turner and Eason are scheduled for sentencing on March 25.

According to court documents, Turner and Eason had a romantic relationship and resided in the 900 block of Division Avenue NE. Turner was not the biological father of Eason’s three children.

SEE ALSO: 2 Charged In Blunt-Force Death Of 2-year-old Northeast Boy

On April 1, 2020, at about 8:25 a.m., the Metropolitan Police Department responded to the residence to investigate a report of an unconscious person. When police arrived, they found D.C. Fire and EMS conducting lifesaving efforts on Gabriel Eason, who was unconscious. After their lifesaving efforts failed to revive the boy, FEMS transported him to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

On the same call, officers also noticed a bump on the center of the 3-year-old’s forehead and noted that the child seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness.

Later that day, both of Eason’s surviving sons were taken to Children’s National Medical Center for a medical evaluation. It was discovered that both had sustained apparent trauma to their bodies. The 3-year-old had several different injuries, including bruises behind his ears and scalp, fractured ribs and a lacerated liver.

On April 2, 2020, the District of Columbia’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy of Gabriel Eason that found abrasions and contusions to the head, face, and torso, multiple rib fractures and healing fractured ribs, and other injuries, including to the heart and brain. The cause of death was ruled to be multiple blunt force injuries.

The charges against Eason involved her failure to seek immediate medical attention for Gabriel and his three-year-old brother, as well as for slapping and striking her other son.

Turner and Eason were arrested on Nov. 3, 2020, following a police investigation. They were released pending further proceedings.

But on the morning of Nov. 29, 2021, Turner caused a woman’s car to crash in the 1800 block of New York Avenue NE, according to the U.S. attorney's office. He then dragged her from the car and punched her multiple times in the face, causing her to fall and lose consciousness, officials said. Turner was arrested following this assault and has been detained ever since.

READ ALSO: DC Woman Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter In Death Of Daughter: DOJ