Mother and Teenage Daughter Charged with Homicide
February 25, 2019 came with a terrifying discovery in an apartment in Morrisville, Pennsylvania when a child case worker arrived unannounced to check on the welfare of some children who resided there. A mother and daughter were found still alive, but unconscious, while five other people, including the mother's sister, her two other children, and the sister's twins, were all found dead.
Those charged with homicide were Shana Selena Decree, 45, and her daughter Dominique Klaran Decree, 19. The victims were Shana Decree's two other children, Naa'Irah Smith, 25, and Damon Decree Jr., 13, and Shana's sister, Jamilla Campbell, 42, of Trenton, New Jersey, and her twin children, Imani and Erika Allen, age 9. Shana and Dominique Decree were taken to Jefferson Hospital in Bucks County.
Killers Influenced By an Online Religious Cult
When police officers arrived at Jefferson Hospital to question Shana and Dominique Decree, the two women said that everyone living in the apartment, including the children, all wanted to die and had discussed suicide. Four out of the five victims were suffocated, while the fifth was strangled. Dominique Decree had neck injuries that may indicate that someone tried to strangle her.
Another sister of Shana Decree, Walidah Campbell, said to the media that Shana had been "talking about demons and acting strange," which worried her. She said that the family had isolated themselves and would not answer the door when other family members came to check on them. Shana Decree's ex-husband said that Shana and Dominique had become involved in a "religious cult they found online."
Victims Seen By Child and Youth Services
Because of his concern about Shana and Dominique Decree and their talk of demons, Shana's ex-husband had called a child welfare agency to come and check on the children. While the scene at the apartment upon discovery of the bodies was one of chaos with broken glass and clutter, the child services worker who discovered the bodies said that in a visit only three weeks prior, everything at the apartment had appeared normal.
However, when she arrived for the Monday visit, she knocked, and there was no answer. She contacted a maintenance worker, who opened the door and discovered the bodies. The two living women, Shana and Dominique Decree, were charged with homicide, which, depending on one's state of mind, can be a first degree felony in New Jersey. An experienced homicide attorney in New Jersey will consider whether those charged with murder were capable of sane judgment at the time they committed the act.
Contact an Experienced Hamilton Township Criminal Defense Lawyer About Your Criminal Charges in New Jersey
Were you arrested or charged with a crime in NJ? The consequences of a conviction could be severe, leaving you with a permanent criminal record and possibly even sending you to jail. That is why you need to speak with a qualified criminal defense attorney as soon as possible about your case. The attorneys at The Davis Law Firm, LLC have successfully represented clients charged with any crime in Trenton, Ewing, Lawrence, East Windsor and throughout New Jersey. Call 609-587-9100 or fill out the online contact form to schedule a consultation with a member of our legal team. We have an office conveniently located at 2653 Nottingham Way, Hamilton Township, NJ 08619.
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