TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) — A jury deliberated for nearly two hours Wednesday before finding 36-year-old Cameren Evans guilty of aggravated manslaughter in the death of her three-year-old son, Enrique Evans.
According to court records, the toddler died in January 2023 from what authorities determined was fentanyl toxicity.
Evans and her former boyfriend, Tony Balcom, were both charged in connection with the child’s death. However, they are being tried separately. Court documents state that Balcom was Enrique’s primary caregiver at the time. Officers reported discovering multiple types of drugs inside his home the night the child died.
During Wednesday’s testimony, Evans’ sister, Sheqwena Evans, told the court she had previously seen scales on Balcom’s kitchen counter. She also testified that shortly after Enrique was born, Cameren Evans called her asking for help.
“She was having a hard time. She wanted to try to get herself together. She wanted to go to rehab, and she asked me if I would come pick him up and keep him,” Sheqwena Evans testified.
She said she cared for the baby for several months before Cameren Evans brought him back to Tallahassee. The sister added that she and other family members had repeatedly offered to take custody of the child.
“Did you agree that you would take custody and care for him?” a prosecutor asked.
“I did. I’ve always been vocal about it. I’ll get him. I don’t mind, and I understand you’re going through things,” she testified.
When asked how the defendant responded, she said, “It was like it went in one ear and out the other.”
Testimony in the trial lasted two days. After nearly two hours of deliberations, the jury returned a guilty verdict.
A case management hearing is scheduled for next week. Tony Balcom’s trial is set to begin Feb. 16.
