The Natalie and Chase DeBlase Story

BREAKING: District Attorney John Tyson has authorized capital murder charges against Heather Keaton, the woman accused of torturing Natalie and Chase DeBlase

MOBILE, Alabama - 5:00 p.m.
Mobile County District Attorney John Tyson has authorized capital murder charges against Heather Leavell-Keaton, the woman accused of torturing Natalie and Chase DeBlase.

Until late this afternoon, Keaton was only charged with child abuse and abuse of a corpse. The children's father, John DeBlase, was charged with murder last month.

10:00 a.m.
The woman charged with torturing Natalie and Chase DeBlase told police the children were poisoned by their father, according to the lead investigator, who testified during a preliminary hearing Friday morning.

Heather Leavell-Keaton, 22, went to investigators in Louisville, Kentucky in November, more than eight months after Natalie, 5, was killed.

Keaton, who said she smelled a "toxic odor" on both Natalie and 3 year old Chase's breath just before their deaths, told police that Natalie died on March 4 and Chase died on June 20, Father's Day. Keaton also told police Natalie was sick for about a week and threw up "black stuff" before she died.

The children's father, John DeBlase, 27, is charged with two counts of murder and abuse of a corpse, though he has denied killing his children. DeBlase blamed Keaton saying she tortured the children and ultimately murdered them.

DeBlase told police he found Natalie dead at their apartment in West Mobile after Keaton duct taped her hands and feet, put a sock in her mouth and stuffed her in a suitcase for more than 9 hours. DeBlase admitted he knew Natalie was in the suitcase but went to school and told Keaton "she better be out when I get back."

DeBlase then told police his son, Chase, died after Keaton ductaped his hands to the side of his legs, strapped a broom handle to his back, shoved a sock in his mouth and forced him to stand in a corner all night while the adults slept.

Both DeBlase and Keaton, who is charged with two counts of aggravated child abuse and abuse of a corpse, admitted to dumping the children's bodies. Natalie's body was found near a Beverly Jeffries Highway in Citronelle, while Chase's body, wearing only a diaper, was found in a wooded area in Vancleave, Mississippi. Police found a sock and duct tape near Chase's body.

The investigator also testified about statements from friends of John DeBlase, who described the abuse they witnessed against the children.

Creighton Hobbs, who says the children called him "uncle", told police Keaton yelled at the children, calling them "demon spawns from hell" and often said she hated the children and "wished they were dead." Another friend, who told police the children were often bruised and hungry, recalled an occassion when Keaton and DeBlase ate Wendy's hamburgers and only gave the children lettuce. No one who witnessed the abuse ever reported it to police or to the Department of Human Resources before the children's death.

Mobile County Circuit Court Judge Charles McKnight found probable cause to send the cases to a Grand Jury. In announcing his ruling, McKnight said "I don't know if I have ever heard in 38 years a case with such facts."

Mobile attorney Jim Sears was appointed last month to represent John DeBlase. Keaton's family hire an attorney from Birmingham.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• murdered
• children
• death
• missing
• found
• child
• abuse

[TheSami1973]

I don't know why I am going to each link here on this subject but these babies and children deserve to be remembered and their case known about. It's horrific what they have all gone through and how a human can do this to another human and at that a poor, defenseless child/ren well I just simply cannot comprehend. :'o(

[FARMERSDAUGHTER2007]

wow really everyone who saw this should have stoped it u could call anybody and keep it were nobody new who called dang this is so sad i think they should do everything too there parents as they did too them little babys:( ugh i love kids and i hate when stupid ass ppl do shit like that and they killed the little boy because he wanted his sissy really and when ppl started seeing she was gone they should have called and got a missing person report....ugh stupid ppl in the world these days. RIP

[imjoan13]

BEING A MOTHER I WANNA KILLED THE PARENTS OF NATALIE AND CHASE DEBLASE..I HOPE YOU DIE IN JAIL AND WHEN YOU FACE THE SATAN YOU GET KILLED PVER AND OVER...SHIT!!!!

[dved2265]

@4evrfaith4evr you took the words right out of my mouth

[melonyandzachC8]

I hope they get killed in jail. -.-

[Dafduk18]

My mind is unable to comprehend the lack of decency and emotion shown by these children's own father, let alone others who aided the death of the innocent children.

[janet07100]

:(

[MrCameronwilson]

@EAG1015 what is goin on in america..ive never see so many evil ppl in my life pure cruel towards kids. They need to have better childcare classes in school

[EAG1015]

@MrCameronwilson I agree. Shame on them for just standing by, knowing this was happening. So many people like that say that they didn't want to get involved. Well, I say, SCREW THAT! These are innocent children! If people are too cowardly to protect the innocent, then there is no hope for this world.

[kirmizigul031]

after kids died.. people come forward talking bout abuse ,,, stupid damn people

[MrCameronwilson]

Shame on anyone that seen abuse of these kids! Wtf is wrong wit ppl

[iloveknitting1]

@TheSami1973 It is also incomprehensible how other people can know what is going on but not intervene. These abusers/torturers get away with it because they can get away with it when nobody does anything to stop it