Trinity Poague, an 18-year-old beauty queen from Georgia, has been indicted by a grand jury for the alleged murder of her boyfriend’s toddler son. Poague faces charges of malice murder, first-degree cruelty to a child, two counts of felony murder, and two counts of aggravated battery in connection to the death of 18-month-old Romeo Angeles, also known as Jaxton Dru.
The indictment alleges that Poague inflicted severe blunt force trauma to the toddler’s head and torso, causing significant damage to his brain and liver. The term “malice aforethought” was used in the indictment, suggesting that the prosecution believes the act was premeditated.
The case came to light on January 14 when the Georgia Southwestern State University Police Department alerted the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) about the death of a child. The unresponsive toddler was rushed to the emergency room at Phoebe Sumter Hospital in Americus, where despite doctors’ best efforts, he succumbed to his injuries.
Following a thorough examination of the evidence and multiple interviews, GBI agents arrested Poague a few days after the incident. She was taken to Sumter County Jail, where she later posted bond. It remains unclear whether she was re-arrested following the indictment.
Poague, who was crowned Miss Donalsonville, Georgia, in 2023, had also participated in the National Peanut Festival beauty pageant last fall, although she did not win. Following the pageant, she expressed gratitude for her experiences on her Instagram page, stating that she had “gained the world” through her reign as Miss Donalsonville.
However, in the wake of the charges, Poague has been stripped of her title, as reported by The Early County News. Her Instagram account indicates that she enrolled at Georgia Southwestern State University in August. She is also a graduate of Southwest Georgia Academy, a college preparatory school in Damascus, Alabama.