Trinity Poague: Georgia's teen pageant queen charged with murder of 18-month-old boy, probe underway

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

AMERICUS, GEORGIA: A Georgia pageant queen has been arrested and charged on the grounds of murder of an 18-month-old baby. 

On Friday, January 12, 18-year-old Trinity Madison Poague was arrested by agents from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

What did Trinity Poague do? 

Trinity Poague, the reigning Miss Donalsonville, has been charged with aggravated battery, felony murder, and first-degree cruelty to children.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a press release that its officials had arrested Poague after “multiple interviews & an examination of the evidence” in the case, as per Daily Beast.

The bureau said that it had been asked to investigate the death of a child by the police department at Georgia Southwest State University, the Americus school where Poague enrolled as a freshman. 

It said, "The investigation indicates an unresponsive 18-month-old boy was admitted to the emergency room at Phoebe Sumter Hospital in Americus, Georgia,” adding “Hospital personnel performed life-saving measures on the child; however, he later died.”

Officials continue the investigation 

The extent of the injuries and Poague's relationship to the child are unknown. More details about the case have not been disclosed by the investigators. The 18-year-old has shared multiple images and videos of her young children on social media.

Poague is being held without bond at the Sumter County Jail at this time.

"Once the investigation is complete, the case file will be given to the Southwestern Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for prosecution," said the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Poague graduated from the Southwest Georgia Academy in Damascus in May, as per the Donalson Ville.

The Thomasville Time Enterprise reports that she is a freshman at Americus, Georgia Southwestern State University. She was selected for the President Jimmy Carter Leadership Program along with 22 other students.

A minimum SAT score of 1100 or an ACT composite score of 22, a minimum 3.0 high school GPA, and outstanding leadership abilities are prerequisites for the program. She participated in the National Peanut Festival Pageant and won the title of Miss Donalsonville in 2023.