Virginia Sims

Case overview

Virginia Sims was a 47-year-old South Georgia woman who pleaded guilty in connection with the 2011 drowning death of her six-year-old granddaughter, Alexis Walker.

Timeline

• February 10, 2012 — Virginia Sims pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.
• June 28, 2011 — Deputies said Virginia Sims drowned her granddaughter Alexis Walker in Norman Park, Georgia; a Colquitt County coroner said an autopsy showed the cause of death was asphyxia.
• June 26, 2011 — Family and friends in Norman Park gathered to remember Alexis Walker; Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Alexis died at the hands of her grandmother Virginia Sims.
• June 22, 2011 — Virginia Sims remained behind bars without bond for the drowning death of Alexis Walker.
• June 22, 2011 — Virginia Sims made her first appearance around 3:30 pm; her bond was denied; no cameras or family members were allowed at the hearing.
• June 21, 2011 — Virginia Sims was charged with murder.
• June 21, 2011 — Authorities said around 7 o'clock Monday night the incident occurred in the 1700 block of Moye Road in Norman Park, Georgia.
• June 21, 2011 — WCTV confirmed Virginia Sims was behind bars after admitting to drowning her granddaughter Alexis Walker; the drowning took place around 7 pm on June 20 off Moye Road in Norman Park.
• June 20, 2011 — Virginia Sims took her granddaughter Alexis Walker to a pond off Moye Road in Norman Park and drowned her.
• June 21, 2011 — Around 7 o'clock Monday night a call went to 911 dispatch.

The offence

Virginia Sims drowned her six-year-old granddaughter, Alexis Walker. The incident occurred in June 2011 at a pond in Norman Park. Georgia Bureau of Investigation investigators said Sims took Alexis to the pond near Moye Rd. on the evening of June 20, where she then drowned her. Another account stated the incident happened around 7 o'clock Monday night in the 1700 block of Moye Road in Norman Park, Georgia, and that Georgia Bureau of Investigation said the drowning took place around 7 pm on June 20 off of Moye Road in Norman Park.

The official cause of death was asphyxia. Medical examiners said asphyxia happened when the flow of oxygen was cut off from the brain by strangulation. Investigators believed that Alexis was being strangled by her grandmother while being held under water. Investigators also said they pulled the lifeless six-year-old out of the pond and placed her on the dirt road where they tried several times to revive her.

After the drowning, Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Sims went to a neighbor’s house and asked them to call 911. Sims admitted on the 911 call that she had killed her granddaughter by drowning her.

Investigation

Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents said Sims admitted to a resident on Moye Road that she killed her 6-year-old granddaughter in a pond. The report included that Sims told the resident: “I need you to call the police for me, I've killed my granddaughter,” says GBI Agent Steve Turner.

Authorities reported uncertainty about whether Sims drowned the granddaughter or put the six-year-old’s body in the water after allegedly killing her. Investigators said they were investigating exactly what happened that night.

A coroner and medical examiners said the cause of death was asphyxia, and medical examiners said this happens when the flow of oxygen is cut off from the brain by strangulation.

Dispatch tapes from the 911 call were described as released.

Arrest and custody

Virginia Sims was behind bars without bond following the drowning death of Alexis Walker.

Virginia Sims made her first appearance around 3:30 pm. Her bond was denied, and no cameras or family members were allowed at the hearing.

Trial and plea

Virginia Sims pleaded guilty. On February 10, 2012, she was sentenced to life in prison.

Sentencing

Virginia Sims was sentenced to life in prison on February 10, 2012.

Other details

Family and community reactions were described in Norman Park, Georgia. Members of the Norman Park community said they were “deeply saddened” by the death of six-year-old Alexis Walker. Services were held at a Georgia Baptist Conference Center auditorium, and after the services on June 26 Alexis was buried in St. James Pallbearers Cemetery.

Alexis’ mother, Ashley Walker, requested that family members or friends not speak with family members or friends on camera. She said through a family spokesperson that her daughter would be missed dearly.

Co-workers of Virginia Sims said it was not the first time she put Alexis in harm’s way. Tatiana Hill said: “I heard she burnt the house down and she ran the car into a tree with her and the little girl in the car,”

A police report indicated that in 2010 Sims was charged with first degree arson. A separate report indicated she was involved in a single car crash with Alexis inside the vehicle less than 24 hours after the arson charge. The Worth County sheriff’s office indicated that the crash was a suicide attempt. Another statement said Sims said her 2010 car accident was indeed a suicide attempt, and that Little Alexis was not harmed in that crash.

The Department of Family and Child services said it had never been made aware of the incidents and that they would have stepped in if the case had been reported.

A three page police report indicated Sims was charged with first degree arson and another two page report said she was involved in a single car crash with Alexis inside. Both incidents happened in May of last year, less than 24 hours apart.

Neighbors and residents described the 911 call as gruesome. Colquitt County resident Jenny Sauls said: “I can't imagine anyone doing that to a child,”

Residents described being shocked by allegations that a grandmother harmed her granddaughter. One resident, Keri Howard, said: “I couldn't sleep because, you know, it ain't even 100 feet from our house ... a little girl was in that pond.”

One statement said Sims told the husband she would threaten to hurt the grandchild anytime there were marital problems between her and her husband. Agents said the husband tried to stop her, but it was too late. Norman Park resident Rhonda Comer said: “You can't punish a child and take their life away,”

Another resident described: “It was very sad because we were out in the yard and we had thought we had heard screaming, but we just associated it with some kids down the road.”

Keri Howard said: “We later found out that a lady had gone down there and threw [sic] her granddaughter in the pond.”

Dr. Gene Sun, a psychiatrist at Archbold Memorial Hospital, said: “Mental illness is so prevalent in the U.S., but it's such a stigma because it's difficult to diagnose,” and “Psychiatrists say the brain is just like any other organ. It can get sick.”

Georgia Bureau of Investigation said Sims had been arrested on murder charges. Another account stated Virginia Sims was charged with murder.

Motive was described as uncertain in the accounts, including a statement that they were “not sure what the alleged motive was at this time,” and a separate statement that the motive remained a mystery.