In the summer of 2020, a heart-wrenching tragedy unfolded in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, culminating in the death of 19-month-old Davena Hinton, a Black female. The devastating series of events began weeks before her passing on July 29th. On July 13th, while in the care of her mother's boyfriend, Felix Tabb, young Davena suffered severe second-degree burns to her hand and wrist, along with unexplained injuries to her head and face.
These injuries were reported to the Department of Human Resources by medical staff at DCH Regional Medical Center and Children's Hospital in Birmingham. Despite these alarming signs of abuse, Davena was sent back to the same home environment.
Just eleven days after the initial reported injuries, the situation escalated fatally. It is believed that on July 29th, while alone with Davena again, Felix Tabb violently assaulted the toddler. The assault resulted in the little girl sustaining significant head trauma and a lacerated liver. She succumbed to these injuries shortly after, and her death was officially ruled a homicide caused by blunt force trauma. The severity of her injuries painted a grim picture of her final moments.
In the wake of Davena's death, law enforcement took swift action. Felix Tabb was arrested and charged with capital murder for his alleged role in the toddler’s death. He was subsequently booked into the Tuscaloosa County Jail, where he was held without bond. The tragedy also prompted legal action from Davena's paternal grandmother, who filed a wrongful death lawsuit. The lawsuit named the Alabama Department of Human Resources, its commissioner, the director of the Tuscaloosa County DHR, a specific caseworker, as well as Davena's mother and Felix Tabb as defendants. The suit alleged that DHR's failure to properly investigate the initial report of abuse and remove Davena from a dangerous environment directly contributed to her death.
