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Grandmother Indicted Months After Baby's Death Save Email Print
Posted: 11:20 AM May 15, 2008
Last Updated: 4:42 PM May 15, 2008

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A grand jury indicts a baby's grandmother, three months after his death. Police say little Xavian Cull died when his grandfather sat on him at the family's Henry County home.

Donna Cull's grandson died on February 14th after emergency crews say her husband, David Cull, suffocated the infant. Now his wife, Donna, also faces charges in the case.

She appeared in court Thursday morning to answer to charges of reckless homicide and tampering with physical evidence. The Henry County grand jury indicted the 52-year-old on the two felony charges.

She tells a local newspaper she has no idea why the grand jury indicted her. She says she was asleep when her intoxicated husband sat on their grandson, who the couple had custody of.

Back when David Cull was charged with the baby's death, Donna Cull told us she tried to revive the baby.

David Cull was also in court Thursday morning. He too is charged with reckless homicide.

Investigators have said Cull had taken prescription pills before sitting on the baby, who was lying in a chair in the family's living room.

David Cull remains in the Henry County Jail. His wife, Donna, has bonded out.

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Posted by: steve Location: cincinnati on May 17, 2008 at 08:19 AM
The only reason they are charging the grandmother is because she doesn't have the money to defend herself. If Stan Chesley was sitting next to her, she would never be charged with anything. Just another excitable prosecutor. The prosecutor should be putting all of his time into making sure David gets the max.

Posted by: just me Location: mt sterling on May 17, 2008 at 08:07 AM
Donna...I am a grandmother with custody of my grandchild. I can tell you I certainly did not do it "for the check" I never received a check for anything. I think the only way a grandparent receives a check is if they are on welfare anyway or you can agree to let the state go after the parents for child support. If that happens then the parents are usually also granted visitation. The check is for $300.00, which in no way supplies what a child needs in a month. In my case this was not a good option. He did not need to see his parents after all they did to him. So in conclusion, not all of us do it "for the check". I would love nothing more than to be able to go back and have my grandchild treated the way any child should be, with love, but it doesn't always work out that way. When it doesn't, we grandparents step up to the plate. I only wish I had had the chance to save this little baby that met such a tragic end. I would have taken him in just as I did my grandson...without a check!

Posted by: Sondra Location: London on May 16, 2008 at 11:09 PM
I am a grandmother and any one that would let someone be looking after a 3 mouth old that was drink any way is she stupidity or something the grandmother should be charged in the murded to

Posted by: Me Location: KY on May 16, 2008 at 07:43 PM
Where did everyone get that the baby was 3 months old? The baby was 2 months old when he died, and had a heart condition, so I'm guessing he was probably too weak to roll over yet. I found the following in a different online news article: "Xavian Cull had a traumatic, short life. Born with a heart valve defect, little Xavian was forced to spend 11 days in NICU before being released to the care of his grandparents. According to Donna Marie Cull, Xavian’s grandmother, the baby had to undergo two blood transfusions but managed to pull through. Xavian Cull was suffocated when his grandfather, David Cull, sat on him and then passed out. Cull, 50, was allegedly intoxicated from the use of prescription drugs when the event occurred. Xavian Cull was only 2 months old." It's so very sad. I seen a picture of the baby online too, and he was such a beautiful baby.

Posted by: JHR Location: Lexington on May 16, 2008 at 11:56 AM
My son will be 3 months in 2 weeks and I don't let anyone SMOKE, DRINK, or ABUSE DRUGS around him! I don't even like to take him to O'Charley's or applebee's b/c people are drinking there! Why in the world was the baby sleeping on the chair anyway? My son can almost roll over... a 3 month old has the potential to roll over.. And I am ALWAYS in the same room with my son. If he is napping in his bassinet, I am right beside him. If he is in the living room in the swing, I'm sitting on the couch watching. WHY Would you go to another room and take a nap?! I really think people need to be given a stupidity test BEFORE they are allowed to have kids!! Both should be charged with murder and every other possible thing they could be charged with! (neglect, child endangerment, everything!)

Posted by: Donna Location: Morgan Co. on May 16, 2008 at 11:48 AM
As usual I will ask where was the person that gave birth to this child?? (notice I did not call her a Mother).Too many Grandparents are given these kids to raise ( mostly for the check they receive)!! The child is the only one to be felt sorry for in this case!! But as sad as it is at least the baby will not be abused anymore!

Posted by: a responsible parent Location: Pikeville ky on May 16, 2008 at 09:26 AM
The sad truth is...there are all kinds of children in custody of parents or grandparents that abuse drugs and alcohol, this is just one situation that ended badly and publicly...I think more should be done to keep children out of homes that have adults who abuse drugs and alcohol....its soo sad that this child lost its life because of an ignorant adult who did not make responsible descisions....and things like this will keep happening if people dont start reporting parents who abuse drugs and alcohol with their children around...something like this in my opinion should and could have been prevented...stupidity just stupidity

Posted by: Anonymous Location: McCreary Co. on May 15, 2008 at 09:31 PM
I have a 3 month old baby and my heart aches hearing of this. I agree why was a 3 month old baby laying in a chair while the care giver is asleep with a intoxicated person around? whether or not the grandmother should be charged with murder is "iffy" but at least charged with child neglect. My baby is always close by me even if I take naps as he does than again I may be just over protected but never is he left unattended with a drunk.

Posted by: for the love of children Location: pikeville on May 15, 2008 at 09:15 PM
Yet another case of drugs and or alcohol. Obviously, if the grandparents have custody then the baby's parents were products of their enviroment. Grandparents had custody? With this crazy bunch that poor child had a bleak future. THis is such a tragedy for the loss of a baby due to drunken grandpa. I am glad I am not related to them or that my grandpa was nothing like them.

Posted by: Jan Location: Pikeville on May 15, 2008 at 09:12 PM
They should lock them both up and throw away the KEY!!! Why in this world did they have custody of this child when the grandfather was boozing it up!!! Don;t the courts check anything out these days???

Posted by: sad fot the baby Location: McDwell, ky on May 15, 2008 at 08:13 PM
How do you fall asleep and leave the baby in a chair? If you are going to take a nap why did the grandmother not take the baby with her? Why would you give people like this a baby to care for any ways?

Posted by: Anonymous on May 15, 2008 at 03:20 PM
i'am sorry but i think if you sat down you would feel a baby drunk or not!!!!!!!! this story was so sad! it would be like whoever put the baby there would not have left it with someone drunk or on meds!

Posted by: Cindy Location: Pineville on May 15, 2008 at 03:13 PM
I think she, too, should be charged. If he was intoxicated, he shouldn't have been left with the baby. She should have skipped nap time and been taking care of the baby.

Posted by: Anonymous on May 15, 2008 at 01:19 PM
a 3 month old baby shouldn't sleep in a chair. And how in the hell could you not notice you sat on a baby!? Stupidity is not an excuse, lock them both up

Posted by: Natasha Location: Georgetown,Ky on May 15, 2008 at 12:44 PM
I really don't believe that the grandmother should be charged in the murder of her grandson. If she was asleep when the drunken grandfather sat on him and killed him. The only one at fought is the man who took pills and passed out sitting on the infant should (edited). I give the grandmother credit for trying to reviv the infant, once she realized what had happen. Just think about it, the way we feel about what happen to that baby is the same way she is feeling but ten times worse.

Posted by: Angel Location: Morehead on May 15, 2008 at 11:58 AM
My question What the H*** was the baby laying in the chair in the first place. That is not a place for a baby to be sleeping. She should be charged, and add neglect to it also.

Posted by: RALPH Location: PIKEVILLE on May 15, 2008 at 11:44 AM
NEED TO CHARGE DAVID WITH MURDER, SAME AS IF HE HAD BEEN DRIVING A VEHICLE AND KILLED SOMEONE. IF HE KNEW TO DRINK THEN HE KNEW NOT TO.

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