Shreveport Woman Charged with Toddler’s Death

A Shreveport woman jailed last month during an investigation into her 2-year-old son's death now faces a murder charge.

Shreveport police say on May 26, detectives were called to a home in the 6200 block of Buncombe Road to reports that two juveniles had suffered bruises to several areas of their bodies.

Officers detained the children's mother, 32-year-old Brandy Shackelford, then booked her into the Shreveport City Jail for domestic abuse battery. Her children, ages 2 and 7, were taken from the residence and placed in the care of family members.

Investigators were contacted the morning of May 27 and told the 2-year-old, Richard Malott, III, had died at the hospital after being found unresponsive at the family members' home. Detectives received word that the Caddo Coroner's Office determined Malott's death to be a homicide.

The charge against Shackelford have been upgraded to second degree murder in that case. She also faces a cruelty to a juvenile charge for her alleged role in injuring the 7-year-old. No one else is charged with Malott's death, but the investigation is ongoing.