Grandmother and Mother Charged With Murder After Telling 4-Year-Old to Drink Bottle of Whiskey

Louisiana police are investigating the death of four-year-old China Record, who died after her family allegedly forced her to drink a bottle of alcohol.

According to the Advocate, the incident occurred Thursday morning in Baton Rouge, after the child’s grandmother and mom caught her taking a sip of 80-proof whiskey. Police documents state the two women became angry at the girl and decided to teach her a lesson. The grandmother, identified as 53-year-old Roxanne Record, then allegedly forced the child to finish the bottle as the girl’s mother, 29-year-old Kadjah Record, watched. The victim’s siblings told investigators the bottle was “over half full.”

After she finished drinking the whiskey, China was allegedly placed in a bathtub. Shortly after, the women realized the girl had stopped breathing and contacted emergency personnel. Officers reportedly arrived at the home at around 11 a.m. and found China unresponsive. According to police documents, she was pronounced dead at the scene.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy and determined China’s cause of death was acute alcohol poisoning. According to the Advocate, the child’s blood-alcohol level was .680 percent, which is eight times over the legal limit for adults.

An arrest warrant obtained by WAFB states Roxanne Record had expressed regret over the incident, telling authorities “she messed up” and “wanted to take full responsibility” for China’s death. “This went too far” the grandmother reportedly said, before adding, “she ruined everyone’s lives.”

Roxanne and Kadjah Record were taken into custody Friday and each charged with first-degree murder. The status of China’s siblings remain unclear.

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services released the following statement about the case:

“We are devastated to hear the news of this child’s death. However, state law prevents our department from commenting on, or even acknowledging the existence of, a potential investigation of abuse or neglect involving a child. If there is an investigation, state laws make the entire process – from report to investigation to outcome – confidential.”