Trial over Jefferson City child’s death will take place in Pulaski County

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) -

The woman accused of killing a Jefferson City boy in 2018 will have her trial take place in Pulaski County this summer.

Judge William Hickle ruled on Friday that the jury trial for Quatavia Givens will take place entirely in Pulaski County. The court had already agreed to pick the jury from there.

Givens, 33, was charged with first-degree murder, child abuse, first-degree endangering the welfare of a child and abandoning a corpse in relation to the death of 4-year-old Darnell Gray in 2018. She is listed on the Cole County Jail online roster, but was admitted to Fulton State Hospital last year.

Court documents say that Givens allegedly struck and smothered Gray, resulting in his death.

Givens was deemed competent to stand trial last year.

The trial is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, July 23 in Pulaski County. Givens will remain in the Cole County Jail.