Couple indicted for death of 20-month old appear in court hearing
By Jared Boyd | JBoyd@al.com
Mobile, AL
Summer Everett and Christopher Knapp,indicted on capital murder charges after thedeath of Everett's 20-month old daughter, DaKota Burke, appeared in court for motion hearings Thursday morning.
Everett took her daughter to the emergency room, having told law enforcement officers that she found the child unresponsive on New Years Eve. On January 8, of this year, the child died at University of South Alabama's Children's Hospital.
Investigators discovered visible trauma, including bruising and burns to several areas of the child's body.
As family watched from the gallery, the two separate proceedings for the couple went by quickly. The presiding judge met with the lawyers to discuss motions regarding discoveries in the case.
After assigning Everett a state attorney, the judge decided to reconvene with both Everett and Knapp on the afternoon of February 25, 2016, in order to give attorneys time to review relevant documents.
According to officials in the Mobile County District Attorney's Office, Knapp's trial date has been set for August 15, 2016, while Everett's case will be tried on December 5, 2016.