A man, Brandon Isabelle, has been found guilty of murdering his girlfriend, Danielle Hoyle, and tossing their two-day-old daughter, Kennedy Hoyle, into a river following a seven-day trial. Isabelle, 28, initially pleaded not guilty to the charges but was indicted for the crimes. The jury recommended a life sentence with the chance of parole after 51 years.
According to the prosecution, Isabelle and Danielle, who both worked at FedEx, were in a romantic relationship that resulted in Danielle’s pregnancy. Simultaneously, Isabelle was also dating another FedEx employee who wanted to end their relationship due to the baby.
After Danielle gave birth to Kennedy on January 31, 2022, she met with Isabelle at his request. The prosecution claimed that Isabelle falsely told Danielle he wanted to give her baby clothes, leading her to a location where he shot her in the head before taking the baby.
Isabelle then allegedly drove to the Mud Island Ramp and threw the newborn into the Mississippi River. The investigation began after Danielle’s abandoned vehicle was discovered with a broken window, and her body was found nearby with a gunshot wound. Kennedy’s whereabouts remain unknown.
Isabelle was quickly identified as a suspect and was taken into police custody a day after Danielle’s body was found. During questioning, Isabelle admitted to shooting Danielle and discarding Kennedy. He stated that he committed the act because he did not want the child.
In a separate case, Kristopher Matthews, 40, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for neglecting his two-month-old son to death due to prolonged starvation. Matthews admitted to never feeding the infant and neglected to seek medical care for him after birth. The prosecutor described the child’s condition as a result of extreme neglect, emphasizing the avoidable suffering and tragic death of the baby. Matthews’ wife, Shirley Matthews, also faced the same charges and received a 20-year prison sentence.
Both cases highlight the devastating consequences of neglect and violence towards innocent children, underscoring the importance of protecting the most vulnerable members of society.