Milwaukee girl dead, 'longstanding abuse;' woman pleads guilty
Kaliyah King
MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee woman, one of three people charged in connection to "longstanding abuse" and death of a 4-year-old girl, pleaded guilty Wednesday, Sept. 20.
Corrine Beechtree, 57, was charged with harboring/aiding a felon. She is scheduled to be sentenced in January 2024.
The victim, identified by family as Kaliyah King, died after she was rushed to Children's Wisconsin in December 2022. Police said all three people charged lied about what happened to the girl they took in due to the child's mother going through tough times.
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Winston Chambers, 30, is charged with first-degree reckless homicide, physical abuse of a child (repeated acts causing death) and neglecting a child (consequence is death). Princess Arredondo, 30, is charged with child neglect (consequence is death) and child abuse.
Chambers pleaded not guilty in May. He is scheduled to go to trial in January 2024. Arredondo pleaded guilty to both charges in June. She is scheduled to be sentenced in December almost two years to the day after King's death.
WARNING: Details of the case laid out by prosecutors in the criminal complaint are disturbing. Discretion is advised.
According to a criminal complaint, first responders were called to the area near 21st and National where the 4-year-old was found unresponsive. Prosecutors said Chambers initially told investigators the girl was hit by a reckless driver as they got off an MCTS bus in the area.
Chambers said he wasn't certain whether King was hit by the vehicle, the complaint states, but he said the girl slipped on some ice while attempting to avoid being struck by the SUV and "smacked her head on the pavement," referring to the child as his "niece."
At Children's Wisconsin, it was determined King suffered bruising to her face, arm and back, along with a severe traumatic brain injury. Doctors said there was a "high probability" she would not survive. At the hospital, prosecutors said Chambers gave investigators a false name and address. When confronted, he said he was "going through the process of legally changing his name."
Winston Chambers, Princess Arredondo, Corinne Beechtree
Chambers said he lived with his girlfriend, Princess Arredondo, his mother, Corinne Beechtree and three children – including King. Chambers said they took the 4-year-old in due to the child's mother being homeless, raising her for the past two years.
During the interview at the hospital, Chambers said King fell off the bed the night before she was rushed to the hospital. He said she threw up that night, and they kept her home from school the next day, noting they were "worried about CPS" being called due to a bruise from falling off the bed. Later that afternoon, after getting off the bus, Chambers said King was hit by an SUV, allegedly telling investigators the girl's feet went up in the air and her boots flew off.
According to prosecutors, Chambers delayed calling 911. Additionally, surveillance video revealed no such crash occurred at 21st and National.
Beechtree lied, prosecutors say
Beechtree told investigators Chambers and Arredondo called her and said the girl was hit by a reckless driver, the complaint states. A search of Beechtree's phone revealed video chats with Arredondo and text messages between the two. Beechtree allegedly asked such questions as: "Is she moving?" "Did she respond?" "Is she OK?"
Prosecutors said Arredondo responded by asking: "So is that bad that her blood pressure is high?" "What does that mean?"
- Beechtree: "It high, but as long as her pulse between 60 and 100 she good."
- Arredondo: "She won't die then?"
- Beechtree: "No."
- Arredondo: "So when will she wake up?"
- Beechtree: "What she doing?"
- Arredondo: "She breathing, just not responding."
- Beechtree: "Dam."
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Prosecutors said Beechtree later admitted she knew the girl was severely injured and lied about it. She further added that Arredondo called her and said King kicked her in the mouth. She said Arredondo called back later and said King was "unresponsive" after Chambers "disciplined" her.
Beechtree said she saw the child unresponsive on a video call, the complaint states. She said she didn't call for an ambulance because she had to talk to a pastor. According to prosecutors, she admitted she should have sought help but didn't "because her son was involved."
The complaint states Beechtree later said that she had seen Chambers hit the girl in the chest and shove her to the ground. She added that both Chambers and Arredondo made her stand with her arms over her head for 15-30 minutes and beat her with a belt. She said she lied to the police to "save her (expletive)."