Woman with history of child neglect charged with stepson's death

MILWAUKEE -- A 33-year-old woman is facing multiple criminal charges in connection with the death of a 6-year-old child. Investigators say Zane McAttee Adams' cause of death was child abuse.

Milwaukee police reported, an investigation began into a child abuse incident that took place near 103rd and Mill on Sunday, July 21. The child was taken to a hospital and later pronounced dead.

A 33-year-old woman, identified as Anitra Burks of Milwaukee, was arrested in connection to the incident.

The boy's father, according to officials, was convicted of two criminal offenses and has been in custody awaiting sentencing. According to a criminal complaint, Burks was the primary caretaker for Adams.

Marie Shaw is a former girlfriend of Zane's father. She told us, "He was very charming, very goofy."

They lived together. Shaw cared for Zane and came to love him.

She said, "He was very easy to love, and he easily loved himself."

According to the complaint, on July 21, Adams complained his stomach hurt and was drinking a lot of water. Adams allegedly threw up multiple times.

Burks reportedly called a nurse at St. Joseph's Hospital, inquiring whether Adams should be brought in. The nurse, according to the complaint, advised Burks to bring the child in for medical care.

Burks brought Adams to St. Joseph's Hospital, and surveillance video shows he was barely able to walk. The video reportedly shows Adams collapsing while entering the hospital, and Burks is seen pulling him up by his arm and holding him up by his sweatshirt.

At the hospital, Adams passed away from his injuries. Due to multiple blunt force injuries, visible bruising to Adams' face, arms and legs, his cause of death was determined to be homicide.

An autopsy of Adams showed he sustained multiple injuries consistent with blunt force trauma. During the autopsy, police provided crutches used by Burks to compare the hole pattern on the crutches to the patterned injuries on Adams' legs and chest. The hole pattern, according to officials, appeared to match the bruises on Adams' legs and chest.

It's difficult for Marie Shaw to hear.

Shaw said, "I feel disgusted with everything that I read today, I feel hurt. I feel like I wish I could have been there."

She added, "My younger son is pretty torn and beat up about the situation because that was like his other brother. He was closer to Zane than my older son."

Investigators determined Adams suffered an internal injury to his small intestine, typically caused by severe focal blunt force trauma to the abdomen. If left untreated, it can lead to a painful condition caused by leakage of the intestinal contents into the abdominal cavity, shock and death.

During an initial interview with Burks, Adams allegedly told investigators the child had "behavior issues." Burks reportedly stated when Adams does not get what he wants, he scratches, pinches and injures himself. Burks allegedly said, Adams climbed the dressers and cabinets at their home, causing injuries to himself.

This is not the first time Burks has been in trouble before. Back in 2013, officials say Burks was convicted of physical abuse of a child. The criminal complaint says Burks was caring for her then boyfriend's 10-month-old child, who suffered scald burns from flowing water. The severity of the burns, according to the complaint, would likely leave the child permanently disfigured.

Burks has been charged in the current case with one count of first-degree intentional homicide, and neglecting a child, causing death.

Burks is due in court for an initial appearance on July 26.

(The-CNN-Wire & 2024 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.)