A South Carolina man has been sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for the murder of his girlfriend’s four-year-old son, according to the prosecuting attorneys. Kasiem Rashawn Stephens, 32, was found guilty of homicide by child abuse and unlawful neglect of a child by a jury in a Colleton County courtroom on Thursday.
Following the verdict, Circuit Court Judge Carmen T. Mullen handed down the life sentence for the homicide charge and an additional 10-year sentence for the neglect charge, as per court documents. “A young boy’s life was tragically ended by someone who was supposed to protect him,” said Tameaka A. Legette, a prosecutor from the 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office. “Regrettably, this child encountered a level of violence that no one should ever have to endure.”
The incident that led to the death of Ki’Zadyn Shuler also left his older sister severely injured. On August 17, 2017, Ki’Zadyn was rushed to the Colleton County Medical Center in an unresponsive, unconscious state, and in cardiac arrest. Despite attempts to save his life, he was pronounced dead.
Investigations by county and state law enforcement agencies concluded that Stephens was in charge of the children on the day of the incident. The child’s death was caused by a beating with an electrical cord, as testified by a forensic pathologist from the Medical University of South Carolina during Stephens’ trial. The pathologist also testified that the boy died from blunt head and neck trauma, with acute injuries all over his body.
At the crime scene, a burnt electrical cord, a charred children’s mattress, and a leather belt were among the items found in a large burn pile. The victim’s six-year-old sister also sustained several injuries, including abrasions and bruising, on the day her brother was killed. The children’s mother, Francesca Michelle Shuler, 34, was charged in relation to her daughter’s injuries and had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful neglect of a child. She testified against Stephens, her former boyfriend, during his trial.
The couple was arrested approximately four hours after the child’s death. Ki’Zadyn was remembered by his family as a loving and playful boy who loved the outdoors. His aunt recalled how he would run up to the car and ask about the puppies every time they visited.