Clover Boykin

Case Overview

Clover Boykin killed her 5-month-old son, Dayton Boykin, in Florida on October 27, 1994. She also confessed to killing 9-month-old Kayla Basante in November 1993 while babysitting Kayla.

Clover Boykin pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison with an additional 40 years on February 1, 1996.

Timeline

• October 27, 1994 — Dayton Boykin was found dead after family members checked on him and discovered he was not breathing; 911 was called.
• November 16, 1993 — Clover Boykin was accused of strangling or suffocating 9-month-old Kayla Basante while babysitting.
• November 1993 — Kayla Basante died seven days after she was strangled or suffocated while under Clover Boykin’s care.
• October 30, 1994 — Clover Boykin confessed to the Thursday slaying of Dayton and the killing of Kayla in November; she was arrested.
• November 11, 1994 — A grand jury indicted Clover Boykin on charges of first-degree murder of two babies, including her son and Kayla.
• November 16, 1994 — Clover Boykin pleaded innocent at arraignment and demanded a jury trial.
• January 12, 1996 — During plea-bargain proceedings, Clover Boykin twice balked when the judge asked if she strangled 9-month-old Kayla while babysitting.
• February 1, 1996 — Clover Boykin pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison plus 40 years.

The offences

Clover Boykin was accused of strangling or suffocating her 5-month-old son, Dayton Boykin, and of strangling or suffocating 9-month-old Kayla Basante while babysitting.

After an autopsy for Dayton was described, the death was ruled “traumatic asphyxia.” Investigators also described bruises on the infants’ neckes as part of the case.

The manner of death for Kayla was described as accidental, and the cause listed on her death certificate was “traumatic asphyxiation.” Kayla’s death had initially been considered accidental, but the case was reopened after Clover Boykin told a detective she had seen another baby die.

Investigation and police questioning

Clover Boykin told sheriff’s detectives that she strangled her son, Dayton, on Oct. 27 after waking up from a nightmare and thought the child was her abusive father. She told detectives that she had strangled or suffocated Kayla while babysitting.

Investigators initially suspected Dayton had choked on baby formula while lying unattended in a bed, but autopsy evidence made them suspicious. Investigators brought Clover Boykin in for questioning at 7 p.m. Saturday, and she confessed shortly before 10 p.m. to killing Dayton and to killing Kayla.

Lt. Steve Newell said Clover Boykin told investigators she was having emotional problems because she had been an abused child herself, and was “taking it out on others.” Investigators said Clover Boykin told detectives she injured Kayla in November and that the child died five days later, but that the death was not considered suspicious at the time.

Arrest and charges

Clover Boykin was arrested Saturday night after she confessed to the Thursday slaying of her 4-month-old son and the killing last year of the 9-month-old daughter of a family friend. Both children were described by investigators as having been strangled.

At the time of the arrest, she was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated child abuse, and she remained in jail overnight.

Clover Boykin lived in a house described as in the 10000 block of Carmen Lane in Royal Palm Beach.

Trial proceedings and plea bargaining

Innocent plea and jury trial demand

Clover Boykin pleaded innocent on Tuesday to two counts of first-degree murder in the killing of two babies—one her own—during her brief arraignment hearing in Palm Beach County Circuit Court. Her public defender, Allison Powell, entered not guilty pleas to the two counts of first-degree murder and demanded a jury trial.

Clover Boykin was facing a possible death sentence if convicted because a grand jury indicted her for first-degree murder.

Grand jury indictment

A Palm Beach County grand jury ruled there was enough evidence for Clover Boykin to stand trial for the murders of two babies. The indictment charging Boykin, 19, of Royal Palm Beach, with two counts of first-degree murder was released by the State Attorney’s Office.

Boykin was accused of “strangling and/or suffocating” 5-month-old Dayton Boykin and 9-month-old Kayla Basante. The grand jury found that the murders were premeditated, meaning she could face death in Florida’s electric chair if convicted.

Plea-bargain setback and judge’s questions

Twice, Clover Boykin balked when the judge asked her if she strangled 9-month-old Kayla, whom she had baby-sat.

Circuit Judge Edward Garrison re-worded the question of guilt again and asked for “the essential facts.” The judge said:

"I don't want to drag you through all the gory details. I do need to know if the essential facts are true,"

Clover Boykin shook her head and told the judge:

"Uh, uh. No,"

After the judge’s departure, the courtroom reacted, and it was stated the case was set for trial.

Clover Boykin later agreed to plead guilty to first-degree murder of Kayla in exchange for prosecutors agreeing to waive the death penalty. Under the plea bargain described, she would have served a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years in prison. It was also described that the killing of her own child, Dayton Boykin, would be reduced to second-degree murder, and the 35-year sentence would be served at the same time as the life term. The paperwork was described as completed and the question-and-answer session as supposed to be a formality.

Sentencing

Clover Boykin pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison for the Basante murder and an additional 40 years, to be served concurrently, for the murder of her son, on February 1, 1996.

She was described as being eligible for parole in 25 years.

Her attorney, Alysoun Powell, stated that Clover Boykin could not voice the words “I did it,” but could affirm her guilty plea and agree that the state could prove its case against her.

Alysoun Powell also said:

"She decided to enter this plea because it is in her best interest,"

and:

"What happened is the result of a very emotionally deprived childhood."

and:

"I hope they don't give her parole. I hope they keep her there forever."

(Statements attributed to others in the sentencing coverage included sentiments about parole and keeping her there forever.)

People involved

Defendants

• Clover Boykin (Clover Boykin, 19; later described as 20 or 21) — accused and later pleaded guilty to killing Dayton Boykin and confessing to killing Kayla Basante.

Victims

• Dayton Boykin (5-month-old) — Clover Boykin’s son; found dead on October 27, 1994.
• Kayla Basante (9-month-old) — the daughter of family friends; described as dying seven days after being found unconscious and dead after an injury while babysat by Clover Boykin.

Family members and representatives mentioned

• Gisele Basante — Kayla’s grandmother; made comments about the case and parole.
• Bill Basante — Kayla’s father; was described as having angry tears in his eyes and confronting Boykin in court.
• Rebecca Basante — Kayla’s wife; present for the sentencing hearing.
• Steven Boykin — Dayton’s father; Clover Boykin’s husband.
• Steven Boykin’s mother — named as living in the house with the Boykins.
• Patricia Boykin — identified as Steven Boykin’s sister-in-law and was involved after being asked to look for glasses.
• Renata Boykin — identified as Steven Boykin’s mother-in-law to whom Clover Boykin told the baby was asleep in her room.
• Allison Powell — public defender.
• Alysoun Powell — Boykin’s attorney.

Other details

• Investigators described that at the time of Dayton’s death, Steven Boykin was at work, and the sister and mother-in-law were asleep in the house.
• Neighbour Deanna Cauley, 16, described seeing the ambulance arrive and seeing the baby’s legs dangling limply.
• Clover Boykin was described as being held in the Palm Beach County Jail’s mental health unit without bail on Sunday night after her confession.
• Clover Boykin works as a secretary, including that she worked in the filing department of a plastic surgeon’s office until last week (as described in the case coverage).
• Clover Boykin was described as living with Steven Boykin’s mother and a sister of Clover Boykin in a four-bedroom house in Counterpoint Estates in Royal Palm Beach.
• Clover Boykin and Steven Boykin were described as being married in January by a West Palm Beach Justice of the Peace.
• Clover Boykin was described as telling police she needed and wanted attention and that “it’s never one particular thing that always gets me.”
• Clover Boykin’s confession included:

"I thank Detective [Ole) Olsen for stopping me, or I would have gone on hurting someone else."

• Clover Boykin’s later comments in the case coverage included the statement:

“I’m evil,” and: “I thank Detective Olsen for stopping me, or I would have gone on hurting someone else.”

• Statements from family members included:

"All that baloney about child abuse; I don't believe in that," "A person who lives a year hiding a murder and sees the face of the mother of the baby she murdered every day and jokes and laughs with her ... She's not crazy. She's not insane. She is evil. ... If I am alive when she wants parole, they will hear from me."

and:

"I'm sorry, but it's a joke, justice here," "She killed her own baby and another 9-month-old, a little angel. We have to live with this the rest of our lives. It is impossible to forget."

and:

"I want my life. I'm just thinking of my son. My life comes first, not hers," Rebecca Basante said.

• The case coverage described that Clover Boykin had contended the murders stemmed from her own abuse as a child and that her family disputed that she had been a victim of abuse.