By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
BATON ROUGE, LA — A Louisiana grandmother faces up to 40 years in prison after a jury convicted her of manslaughter in the April 2022 death of her 4-year-old granddaughter, China Record. Authorities say the child died from severe alcohol poisoning after being forced to drink whiskey as punishment.
Emergency responders arrived at a Baton Rouge residence before 11 a.m. on April 21, 2022, following reports of an unresponsive child. Despite immediate life-saving efforts by firefighters and EMS personnel, the child was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to arrest warrants, Roxanne Record allegedly forced the child to drink whiskey from a bottle after suspecting the girl had taken a sip from alcohol left on a kitchen counter. Investigators stated the child was made to kneel in a hallway and consume the remaining contents, believed to be more than half a bottle. The child’s blood alcohol level measured 0.680, more than eight times the legal limit for adult drivers.
The child’s mother, Kadjah Record, was reportedly present during the incident but did not intervene. She later told investigators she witnessed her mother take the bottle from the kitchen and found it empty upon returning to discover the child unresponsive. Police noted her statements changed during questioning.
During interviews with investigators, Roxanne Record reportedly acknowledged she messed up and accepted responsibility, stating the situation went too far and destroyed lives. Following her conviction, she is scheduled for sentencing on August 10, 2026. Kadjah Record has also been arrested and is scheduled to return to court next month.
The case highlights the deadly dangers of alcohol exposure in young children, whose smaller bodies cannot metabolize alcohol as adults do, making even small amounts potentially fatal.