The courtroom held its breath as the details emerged – a Louisiana grandmother accused of a horrific act of cruelty that ended a young life. Roxanne Record, 57, now faces a jury, accused of first-degree murder in the death of her four-year-old granddaughter, China.
Prosecutors painted a chilling picture of China’s final moments in April 2022. They allege the little girl was forced to her knees, compelled to finish an entire bottle of Canadian Mist whiskey as a brutal, unthinkable punishment.
The state argued that China’s relationship with her grandmother was anything but loving. Unlike most children, she never experienced a grandparent’s warmth, instead facing consistent dislike and differential treatment.
Evidence suggests a disturbing pattern of cruelty within the Baton Rouge home. China was reportedly ostracized, her siblings led to believe she was a thief even when simply seeking food or water.
The alleged ordeal began with a single sip of whiskey, taken from a bottle left carelessly on the kitchen counter. But that small act triggered a horrifying escalation.
Prosecutors claim Roxanne Record then forced China to drink the remainder of the 750ml bottle – a staggering amount of 80-proof liquor for anyone, let alone a four-year-old. It was a quantity that would prove fatal.
First responders arrived at the Wallis Street home to find China unresponsive. An autopsy revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.680 – more than eight times the legal limit for an adult driver. The sheer toxicity was devastating.
The prosecutor’s voice resonated with sorrow and outrage, telling the jury, “She… just went on with daily life while she died.” The image was stark, the implication unbearable.
The defense countered that China’s death was a tragedy, but an accident, not murder. They argued Roxanne Record attempted CPR and that the state couldn’t prove the specific intent required for a first-degree murder conviction.
A conviction carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison without parole. The weight of that potential outcome hung heavy in the courtroom, a stark reflection of the alleged crime.
China’s mother, Kadjah Record, also faces murder charges and will be tried separately later this summer. The case continues to unfold, a heartbreaking testament to alleged cruelty and a lost childhood.
