After five days of testimony, it took a Horry County jury less than an hour to decide.
Camisha McGaskey was found guilty on Friday, Oct. 23, of murder and obstruction of justice in the death of 11-year-old A’Kyri Bell, the child she had been responsible for caring for.
Judge David Caraker sentenced her to life in prison for murder and 10 years for obstruction of justice, to be served consecutively.
The verdict
Jurors began deliberating at 5:17 p.m. and returned their verdict at 6:09 p.m., according to the 15th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.
Before sentencing, A’Kyri’s father, Vernon Bell, addressed the courtroom and said McGaskey got what she deserved. A young witness who lived in the home also spoke, saying they would never forget what happened.
15th Circuit Solicitor Jimmy Richardson asked the judge for a life sentence, telling the court there was no punishment that truly fit the crime. He added that life in prison was “a lot more humane than A’Kyri got.”
McGaskey’s defense attorney, Ralph Wilson Sr., asked the court for mercy and a sentence of less than life. Before the verdict, he had asked for an acquittal and a mistrial, and also asked the judge to let the jury consider the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. The judge denied all of those requests.
What happened to A’Kyri
A’Kyri died on June 11, 2025, after being found unresponsive at a home on Sago Palm Drive in the Carolina Forest area. She was taken to Grand Strand Medical Center, where efforts to save her failed.
A forensic pathologist from the Medical University of South Carolina testified that the cause of death was complications of blunt force injuries to her head. She said there were too many injuries to count, and that some were older and already healing. She also testified that A’Kyri’s death was not an accidental drowning, and that no natural cause could explain her injuries.
A child abuse pediatrician who reviewed the evidence testified that, in his medical opinion, A’Kyri had been a victim of ongoing child abuse and that the abuse led to her death. He also testified that A’Kyri had been working a full-time job from 5 p.m. to midnight on top of attending school during the day.
The evidence
Prosecutors presented videos recovered by investigators showing McGaskey beating A’Kyri inside the home. Several witnesses, including a young person who lived there, testified that they saw the abuse and heard McGaskey threaten A’Kyri on the day she died.
Prosecutors also showed text messages exchanged between two co-defendants around the time A’Kyri was dying, in which one wrote that McGaskey was killing the girl.
On the obstruction charge, prosecutors said McGaskey lied to investigators and tried to destroy evidence. They showed messages in which she allegedly asked others to delete home security camera footage and hide cameras in the trash. McGaskey also initially told first responders that A’Kyri had passed out and possibly overheated, an account prosecutors said did not match what responders found.
The defense
Wilson told jurors that while the state had shown evidence of abuse, it had not proven that McGaskey committed murder on June 11. He argued the state’s witnesses had changed their stories, questioned why certain lab results were not presented to the jury, and said co-defendants testified only to get plea deals.
McGaskey chose not to testify.
Co-defendants who testified
Two co-defendants pleaded guilty during the trial and testified for the prosecution:
- Alexandria Thomas, McGaskey’s sister, pleaded guilty on Oct. 20 to unlawful conduct toward a child.
- Darnell Dearmus, Thomas’ boyfriend, pleaded guilty on Oct. 21 to the same charge.
Both are awaiting sentencing.
Trafficking case still pending
Prosecutors have described A’Kyri’s death as part of a larger human trafficking case. McGaskey and her mother, Margaret Roberson, were previously charged with trafficking minors and criminal conspiracy, accused of making children who lived in the home work cleaning jobs in the Conway area.
Those charges are separate from this trial. Roberson is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Sources: Court proceedings in Horry County, as reported by WPDE; Post and Courier
