Charlotte Lawyer Appointed to Represent Davis in Death of One-Year-Old

LUNENBURG – Following a preliminary hearing last Thursday in the Lunenburg County Juvenile and Domestic Court, Charlotte County Attorney David Watkins of Hawthorne and Hawthorne in Charlotte Court House was appointed by the court as the attorney for Mario Davis. Davis was arrested on Friday, June 10 following the death of his one-year-old step-child, Aja Cofield.

The preliminary hearing on the Aggravated Malicious Bodily Injury charge against Davis will take place in August.

The current charge is a Class 2 felony with a sentence range of 20 years to life in prison, and there is a presumption of no bail.  Commonwealth’s Attorney of Lunenburg County Robert Clement said that there could be additional charges once the final medical, autopsy and police reports are completed. Davis remains in Piedmont Regional Jail.

The incident took place when the 16-month-old Cofield was critically injured Thursday, June 9, 2016 in her home at 513 Lunenburg Ave., Victoria, Va. about 4:30 p.m.

Davis was alone in the home with the child and called 911 to report that the child had fallen down the stairs of their home. After being airlifted to VCU Medical Center in Richmond, the child died on June 11.

Following medical information that the injuries to the child were not consistent with a fall down a stairway, but consistent with abusive head trauma, Davis was arrested.