Man Guilty of Abuse in Toddler’s Death

A Long Beach man was found innocent Monday of murdering his girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter and entombing the body in concrete but was convicted of child abuse.

Randy Lonell Foster, 22, also had been charged with involuntary manslaughter and assaulting a child under 8 years old and causing the child’s death. Prosecutors alleged he helped his girlfriend kill the child and hide the body in a concrete block, which was discovered in the trunk of his car.

A Los Angeles Superior Court jury found Foster guilty only of a child abuse charge, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The jury deadlocked on the involuntary manslaughter and assault charges .

Foster’s attorney, Thomas Moore, said there wasn’t significant evidence that his client helped kill the child, only that he helped hide the body.

Foster and his co-defendant, Rakeisha Scott, 23, were tried together but with separate juries. Her jury is still deliberating.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Victor Rodriguez said he did not want to comment on the verdict but said he is “seriously considering a retrial” on the counts on which the jury deadlocked.

During closing arguments, Rodriguez contended that Foster sharply disciplined the child, Milan, and told jurors: “Whether you believe he was involved in excessive force on Milan or you believe he let Rakeisha use excessive force, he has to be guilty.”

The body of Milan Anjonet Scott Wilson was found encased in concrete in the trunk of Foster’s Buick on June 27. The car was parked behind his father’s home in Willowbrook.

On Father’s Day last year, Foster told his father, Bill, that Milan had died accidentally in December when she slipped in the bathtub. Afraid that their infant son would be taken from them, the couple hid the girl’s body for about seven months. Bill Foster telephoned authorities.

“I feel like justice has been served,” Bill Foster said. “I didn’t feel like it was murder from the beginning. I thought maybe manslaughter or a lesser charge like concealment.”

He said that he did not believe his son was capable of murder but that he regretted not being more aware.

“By this tragedy happening, it might get some adults to look at their kids and their grandchildren more closely. I figured . . . that they were taking care of the child properly.”

*

Times staff writer Dalondo Moultrie contributed to this story.