14-year-old boy was 33 pounds, covered in bed sores when he died, Daytona Beach police say

By Web Staff

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    DAYTONA BEACH, Florida (WESH) — Documents from Daytona Beach police have shed more light on the death of a 14-year-old boy.

Talia Nelson, 43, was arrested last week on the charges of first-degree felony murder, aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter of a child.

According to an affidavit, officers were called to Carolina Lake Drive on Jan. 1. Nelson told police that she was cooking dinner for her 14-year-old son Zakye, and when she went into his room, she found him unresponsive on the floor.

In a 911 call, the caller says they think “he just passed out or something.”

The teen was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead.

According to police, Zakye weighed 33 pounds when he died and was covered in bed sores.

“At 33 pounds, the kid probably couldn’t even walk,” Jimmie Flynt with Daytona Beach police said.

A medical examiner determined the teen was malnourished, which led to substantial loss of bone density. The medical examiner also said Zakye had fresh bruising on his face, as well as linear scars across his torso and legs.

During a search of the apartment, officers said one of the bedrooms had no furniture and reeked of stale urine. Clothing had been placed on the window sill and underneath the bedroom door.

Nelson claims her son spent time in the other rooms.

Nelson also claimed that her son attends school online. She said he suffers from a rare bone disease, lactose intolerance and bulimia, but she could give no information on the physician who diagnosed Zakye.

Nelson claimed her son would throw up every time he ate. According to police, she first said she didn’t notice his weight loss but then said she thought it was due to his vomiting.

“He had some kind of medical condition that he wasn’t eating or that anytime he would eat, he would throw up, and that’s why he was so undernourished, but based on what the M.E. has said, that’s not the case,” Flynt said.

According to the affidavit, Nelson said she “dropped the ball” regarding getting Zakye medical attention but that he didn’t want to see doctors. She said she is not a neglectful parent.

Investigators were able to obtain medical records from when Zakye was last seen by a doctor in June of 2020.

Notes from the visit state that he was “well-nourished, well-developed, in no apparent distress.”

“He hasn’t seen a doctor, she’s claiming he had seen a doctor, but she can’t tell us who,” Flynt said.

Police determined that Nelson had caused the death of her son. She remains in jail without bond.

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