A Wisconsin woman, aged 34, has been apprehended in relation to the death of her 3-year-old son. The child’s injuries were so severe that they indicated a “total lack of regard for human life,” according to authorities. Zaquitta Joiner-Murphy was charged with one count of child neglect resulting in death following the brutal death of her son, Da’Quarius Berry, as per court documents.
Joiner-Murphy dialed 911 for medical help for her son at her residence on North 29th Street, shortly before 7 a.m. on November 6. She informed investigators that she discovered her son unresponsive and not breathing after returning from dropping her other four children at the school bus stop. She claimed to have left the house around 6:30 a.m. and was away for approximately 10 minutes. Upon her return, she found her son lying on his back, foaming at the mouth.
Joiner-Murphy stated that Da’Quarius had no prior injuries or medical history that could explain his condition when she returned home. Emergency medical personnel rushed Da’Quarius to Children’s Wisconsin’s Emergency Department. Despite doctors’ efforts to save him for nearly an hour, they were unable to resuscitate the boy, who was declared dead around 8:41 a.m.
Medical staff discovered a large hemorrhage in Da’Quarius’s abdomen, which they determined was caused by non-accidental trauma. The injuries sustained by Da’Quarius indicated that the perpetrator acted with a total disregard for human life.
Joiner-Murphy told police that Da’Quarius woke up around 5:45 a.m. that day and was behaving normally. She said she left him in the care of her boyfriend while she took the other children to the bus. She also mentioned that a friend named “Peaches,” who lived in the apartment above, would occasionally look after the children when she was working at night. However, Peaches denied being responsible for the children during the evening of November 5 and the morning of November 6.
In a subsequent interview, Joiner-Murphy altered parts of her story. She confessed that on the night of November 5, she and her boyfriend left the children alone at home while they went out for food. They returned briefly but left again around 1:30 a.m. On the morning of November 6, she found Da’Quarius asleep on the couch after returning from the store. After showering, she discovered that his body was limp and his mouth was filled with foamy mucus, prompting her boyfriend to call 911.
The investigation into Da’Quarius’s death is ongoing. As of now, Joiner-Murphy is one of two suspects who had the opportunity to inflict the blunt force trauma on Da’Quarius. The investigation also revealed that she left her five children unattended from midnight on November 5, 2025, until 5:45 a.m. on November 6, 2025.
Joiner-Murphy is currently detained in the Milwaukee County Jail on a $50,000 cash-only bond. She is due to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on November 21.