PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — Neighbors in the Victory Village Apartments on Victory Boulevard say Chante Smith and Dontae Taylor were never a problem before.
But police have charged Smith, 25, and Taylor, 36 with killing their infant daughter.
Neighbors are horrified by the tragedy and one man says he’s leaning on his faith to be able to cope with it.
The little girl — believed to be two months old at the most — died last Sunday, Nov. 26. When police and medics arrived, they tried to save her but she did not respond, so they took her to Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters where she was pronounced dead. Six days later, Smith and Taylor were arrested.
It’s all coming as a major shock to neighbor Chiquita Smith.
“They didn’t strike me as murderers,” she said. “With them being right next door, I ain’t heard no type of altercations or anything like that. I seen her when she was pregnant. I seen her shortly after she had the baby.”
Taylor and Chante Smith face aggravated murder, child abuse and neglect and child cruelty charges.
“That child didn’t ask to come in to this world. You bring somebody into this world, you’re supposed to take care of it,” said neighbor Perry Bowers. “I think it’s sad. But I do know one thing. She’s in heaven now. All babies go to heaven. She’s an angel.”
Smith and Taylor entered not guilty pleas to the three felony charges and are jailed without bond.
Their next court date is Jan. 25.
