Woman Charged With Murder in Smothering Deaths of 2 Baby Sons

A 23-year-old woman was charged Tuesday with murder in the deaths of her two infant sons after authorities said she admitted smothering them because they were crying too much.

Lavida Davis, of San Pablo faces two counts of murder with special circumstances of assault on a child causing death. If convicted, she could receive the death penalty.

San Pablo police said Davis admitted to investigators last week that she suffocated her 6-week-old son, Darion Johnson, on Sept. 17 because she was tired of his crying.

Davis also said she killed another son, 22-day-old Emmanuel Beals, on Feb. 8, 2004, for the same reason, said San Pablo Police Cmdr. Walt Schuld.

“She admitted to killing both infants, but said it was because they were crying and that she did not intend to kill them,” Schuld said.

Autopsies on both infants initially were inconclusive about foul play, but authorities became suspicious when they learned that Davis had two sons who died under similar circumstances, Schuld said.

Davis was arrested Thursday. Darion’s twin brother was taken into protective custody.