Coroner releases cause of death for 4-year-old killed in July

GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - The Greenville County Coroner’s Office released new details on the 4-year-old who was allegedly killed by her half-brother in July.

Deputies said Joanna Lockaby was tragically found dead inside a plastic bin near her house on July 20, 2022. Shortly after the discovery, her half-brother, 17-year-old William Micah Hester, was taken into custody and charged with murder.

While deputies believed Hester suffocated Lockaby, the Coroner’s Office never confirmed the child’s cause of death.

Today, the Coroner’s Office confirmed that Lockaby died from suffocation due to entrapment. They added that her death was ruled a homicide.

Hester remains in custody after he was denied bond in July. We will update this story as the case develops.

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