Woman charged in death of four-year-old boy found in dumpster
BALTIMORE -- One of two women charged in the death of four-year-old Malachi Lawson in 2019 was in court Wednesday.
"He had a smile that I'll never see ever again," one of Malachi's loved ones told WJZ in 2019.
This is a story WJZ has been covering for three years.
"This kind of tore at me because it's a four-year-old helpless kid," one of Malachi's loved ones told WJZ in 2019.
Shakita Lawson was in court Wednesday hoping to go to trial.
Her case has been delayed many times because of the pandemic and other reasons.
It was postponed again Wednesday because the prosecutor on the case has been reassigned.
Her attorney, Roya Hanna, plans to file a motion for it to be dismissed, saying Lawson's constitutional right to a speedy trial is being violated. She believes the delays are damaging the case.
"Which means defendants have to sit in jail longer, witnesses disappear and evidence becomes more and more stale, their memory fades," Hanna said. "It really, truly does affect how justice is administered. "
Shakita Lawson and her wife, Malachi's mother, Alicia, were charged for his death after they reported him missing in 2019.
Baltimore Police said after questioning Alicia, she told them Malachi suffered severe burns after they gave him a bath.
Instead of taking the child to the hospital, the women told police they tried to care for him themselves.
According to charging documents, the women said they later found Malachi unresponsive and decided to dispose of his body by putting it in a dumpster.
Alicia Lawson took a plea deal last year.
Shakita's attorney believes there are different circumstances in her case and wants her client to go to trial so she can prove her innocence.
"Shatika wants to go to trial and she wants to have her day in court," Hanna said. "She wants the world to know how much she loved this little baby and how she would never do anything to hurt this little baby. "
Lawson's new trial date is set for May of next year.
Hanna plans to file the motion by the end of the week.
