Ex-pageant queen charged in death of boyfriend’s toddler pleads not guilty

SUMTER COUNTY, Ga. (Court TV) — A former Georgia pageant queen accused of murdering her boyfriend’s son appeared in court Wednesday for her arraignment.

Trinity Madison Poague, 18, was arrested on Jan. 19 , five days after Romeo Angeles was found unresponsive in her college dorm room on Georgia Southwestern State University’s campus. Angeles, who is also referred to as “Jaxton,” later died at a hospital.

Trinity Poague appears in court during her arraignment Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024. (Court TV)

During Wednesday’s proceedings, Poague pleaded not guilty to multiple charges.

In total, Poague is facing six charges: malice murder, cruelty to children in the first degree, two counts of felony murder and two counts of aggravated battery.

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An indictment obtained by Court TV accuses Poague of “inflicting blunt force trauma” to Angeles’ head and torso. The indictment states Poague caused “serious disfigurement to his liver” and “rendered his brain useless.”

According to WALB , Poague was crowned Miss Donaldsonville in 2023. Donalsonville is approximately four hours south of Atlanta, near the Alabama/Florida/Georgia borderline. Early County News reported that Poague was stripped of her title in March following her arrest. She was released from jail in Feb. after posting a $75K bond.