Parents charged in death of 4-year-old daughter raised thousands in donations

TEXAS CITY, Texas (KTRK) -- A mother and father have been charged in connection to the death of their 4-year-old daughter seven months ago in Alvin, authorities announced.

The Alvin Police Department shared in a social media post that the parents, Drayon Donahue, 27, and De'Jane A. Belle, 26, were arrested following the April incident.

Police began their investigation after officers were called to an emergency room on April 29, involving 4-year-old Roi'Lynn Donahue, who was unresponsive. When they arrived, she was reportedly found dead.

Officials said her mother, Belle, had brought her to the facility.

According to Alvin PD, the girl's father, Donahue, told officers she had collapsed while playing with her siblings in the courtyard of the motel they were residing in.

During the investigation, officers said they noticed multiple discrepancies and evidence that the parents may have altered the scene. There were also signs of long-term abuse found against the child, police added.

An autopsy later revealed the 4-year-old died from complications of recurrent physical trauma and malnutrition, according to the medical examiner's office.

Donahue and Belle were arrested at a home on Thursday morning.

The Brazoria County Grand Jury indicted the parents on two counts, each of tampering with evidence.

More felony charges against each are pending, according to Alvin PD.

After the child's death, ABC13 learned the child's mother created a GoFundMe, raising thousands of dollars, claiming her daughter was born with breathing and lung issues.

Katie Quirk has a charity called "Texas Hope" and said the family was living out of a car at one point, so she and others in the community tried to help.

"Recently, they were having financial problems, so we started helping them with things like their hotel room, and we helped their little girls with recreational activities," Quirk said.

Quirk said she feels betrayed and shocked. She spoke to Belle regularly, and when she was told about her daughter's death, it never added up.

"She spoke to me about the baby taking a nap and was unresponsive, so they let her sleep for a couple of hours and realized she wasn't waking up," Quirk said. "I didn't believe her. The more she talked and I tried to help, the more I thought she was lying."

During the investigation, the couple's other three children were removed from their custody. When they were arrested, their newborn child was removed by Child Protective Services, according to police.

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