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Bond denied for man charged in Norfolk child’s death

Posted at 5:20 AM, May 30, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-30 11:07:49-04

NORFOLK, Va. – A man accused in the death of an 11-year-old Norfolk girl will not be getting out of jail on bond.

Demont J Harris

A judge denied Demont Harris bond at a hearing Wednesday morning. He will be back in court on July 30 for a preliminary hearing.

Harris's attorney said they do plan to appeal the bond denial and stated the abuse was not at the hands of Harris, but the victim's mother.

Earlier this month, Norfolk Police found Harris' fiancée's daughter, 11-year-old Heaven Watkins, dead inside a home on Balview Avenue in Ocean View. Relatives said Heaven had autism and cerebral palsy.

The medical examiner told News 3 Heaven died from blunt force trauma to the head and torso.

Harris and Latoya Smith, Heaven's mother, are charged with murder as well as a malicious wounding charge from an incident back in February.

Smith's bond was denied last week.

During that hearing, the prosecution told the court Harris put Heaven's hand under hot water until it burned her skin. The child was hospitalized in Norfolk for six days and had to get a skin graft.

The judge decided Heaven's mother should not be out in the community because she never blew the whistle on the alleged abuse.

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