Plea hearing set for man accused in Columbia baby’s death
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) -
A plea hearing is set for a man accused of killing a baby several years ago in Columbia.
Judge Kevin Crane set a plea hearing for Aug. 30 at 1:30 p.m. for Staffone Fountain. He's currently charged with felony murder, endangering a child and abandoning a corpse for the death of months-old Samone Daniels in 2017. Defense attorney Jennifer Bukowsky confirmed that a plea was set to take place, but would not comment on the details of it.
Fountain is accused of killing the baby in 2017 at the Red Roof Inn in north Columbia. Police believe Fountain, along with the child's mother, Lavosha Daniels, put the baby's body in a bag and left it at a nearby tire store. The baby was discovered at the store in 2019.
Police arrested Fountain and Lavosha Daniels in 2022 after someone found a note apparently from Daniels addressed to police in a different hotel describing what happened. Prosecutors claimed that Fountain may have struck the child and placed them in an unsafe sleeping position when he put the child in a car seat and placed them in the bathtub.
Fountain is set to go to trial starting on Sept. 24. Lavosha Daniels is charged with endangering a child and abandoning a corpse. Her next court appearance is set for Sept. 30.
