Devastating new information tonight about what police say happened to a little boy in Christiansburg. Police say a pregnant woman and her boyfriend sexually abused her 2-year-old son while creating child pornography before the boyfriend killed the toddler. Police Chief Mark Sison says the exact details will come out in court.
It’s going to shock the community. I mean, it’s a tragic event. And when I say brutal blunt force trauma, that’s exactly what I mean. Medical reports show minimal brain activity when Steven got to the hospital. What happened to this innocent child can only be described as horrific, and we can only imagine the pain felt by the loved ones of Steven Meeks.
I am deeply, deeply remorseful for what happened. Um, I’d give anything to have my baby boy back. I’d give anything to have a second chance to do over and do right by my son. They stomped on a 2-year-old boy’s head with their feet until the bones of his skull tore apart from the blood pressure building up inside.
35 wounds from blows covered his little body. His own mother raped him with an object, filming it on video at her boyfriend’s demand. Tears in his rectum, bruises on his genitals, teeth that cut through his gums from the inside from the force of blows to his face, eyes covered in bruises, bleeding in his retinas from how hard they shook him, shoe prints on his forehead and the back of his head.
All of this happened to a child who loved to dance, hug his stuffed Mickey Mouse, and called his grandparents big gray dog Wooy Woo. A boy who woke up every morning with a smile, who followed his grandpa everywhere, begging him to sing Baby Shark one more time. His name was Steven Dale Meek II. He was 2 years, 5 months, and 30 days old.
Experienced detectives who had seen hundreds of crimes cried while working on this case. A medical examiner with 25 years of experience was shaken by what she found on the autopsy table. The judge called it incomprehensible evil. The prosecutor said, “This is the worst child abuse case I have ever seen.” And all of this happened in a small trailer located 5 minutes from the police station.
While his mother was at work, while the roommate paid no attention, while the family could not reach him, the signs were there. The bruises were visible. His behavior had changed, but nobody stepped in on time. Before we continue, please hit the like button, subscribe to the channel, and share this story.
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Little Steven’s story needs to be heard so that something like this never happens again. so that next time someone does not stay silent, so that next time a child stays alive. On July 14th, 2016, after 28 hours of difficult labor, at 4:48 in the morning in the city of Bloomington, Indiana, a boy with bright blue eyes and light hair was born.
24year-old Kayn Nicole Thomas and Steven Dale Meek Senior named their first child Steven Dale Meek II. The baby was born healthy, weighing 7 lb 6 oz and was 20 and 1/2 in long. From the very first day of his life, Steven became the joy and pride of his family. His uncle said he had the most charming smile on earth. He was always laughing and giggling, loved playing patty cake and peekab-boo.
But most of all, the little boy loved moving to music. His grandmother remembered, “When even the slightest melody of music is heard, he starts dancing.” His mom agreed. He is a happy little one. Anytime any music plays on the television, he bobs his head, stomps around. At 14 months, Steven was just learning to walk and was still unsteady on his little legs.
His great grandmother said he could take a few steps, but then would wobble and fall to the floor. He could barely walk steadily without falling, she said. Little Steven<unk>’s favorite thing in the whole world was Mickey Mouse. When this character with big round ears appeared on television, the boy’s eyes would light up and he would start joyfully squealing and jumping.
The family often bought him toys with his favorite hero, and he slept hugging his stuffed friend. Steven loved spending time with his grandmother and grandfather, Melinda and Carl Chrysley. He followed them everywhere, begging them to sing another round of Baby Shark or insisting on helping them with chores. The boy loved the rock band Dory, an unusual taste for a 2-year-old child.
He also loved being around deer, which his grandfather often hunted. During his last visit to his grandparents in October 2018, Steven even helped Grandpa process deer meat, carefully watching every movement and trying to imitate. Some family members affectionately called little Steven turtle. His grandfather called him baby or little one.
Other family members called him little man. The toddler also had a special connection with his grandparents big beautiful gray dog named Lucy Leu. He called her Woozy Woo and constantly hugged her, burying his face in her soft fur. When Lucy Leu died in July 2018, the family noticed that Steven seemed sad, as if he understood that his friend was gone.
Steven was a very well-behaved little boy who loved spending time with his family and learning new things. He was curious, touching everything, exploring everything, asking questions in his childish language. He probably would have grown up to be an avid hunter and fisherman like his grandfather. After his parents separated shortly after his birth, Kayla and Steven senior shared custody of their son.
The boy spent time sometimes with mom, sometimes with dad. When he was with his father, he quickly bonded with his new stepmother, Michelle. The little one even started calling her mama, which deeply touched her. According to Michelle, Steven was an amazing, smart, and very loving child. She described him as a bright and beautiful little boy who changed her whole world.
Not a minute went by without him saying, “Mama, look.” Or, “Mama, look, Mickey.” He would grab my finger and drag me to show his little play microwave. Always saying, “Push the button.” I would have taken a bullet for this child, she recalled with tears in her eyes. Steven was adored by absolutely everyone who encountered him. His laughter filled the house with joy, and his hugs were the most sincere and warm.
But what seemed like a happy childhood would soon turn into a nightmare that would shock not only the small town of Christiansburg with a population of just a few thousand people, but the entire country. By the beginning of 2019, Kayla started dating 25-year-old McKenzie Kyle Helman. This person’s appearance was repulsive. A huge bulky man standing 6’6 in tall and weighing 295 lbs with a shaved head, sparse mustache, and an ugly goatee on his chin.
If you look at his photograph, it is hard to believe that this creature is only 25 years old. He looked like a worn out 50-year-old. He already had a 2-year-old son, Kevin, from his marriage to Cheyenne, who also lived in the house. He had a history of mental health problems. He had been involuntarily committed to psychiatric facilities several times, but Kayla apparently did not see this as a danger to her son.
In early January 2019, Kayla and her boyfriend along with their children moved into a mobile home at 430 Zinc Lane in Christiansburg, Virginia. It was a small trailer in a neighborhood of similar mobile homes located just 5 minutes from the police station. Another woman lived with them. Cheyenne, the ex-wife and mother of his 2-year-old son, Kevin.
Yes, friends, you heard that right. The killer’s ex-wife lived with them in the same house. But the story becomes even more tangled. Later, after Steven’s death, the boy’s biological father married this very woman, Cheyenne. the same one who lived in the trailer and was a witness to what was happening. The killer’s ex-wife became the victim’s father’s wife.
Remember this name, Cheyenne, because her little son Kevin will become a key witness in this case. So, in the trailer on Zinc Lane lived, Kayla Stevens mother, McKenzie, her boyfriend and future killer, little Steven, Cheyenne the ex-wife, and 2-year-old Kevin her son. Five people in a small mobile home. And it was here that hell began for little Steven.
The first days of January 2019 became the beginning of hell for the toddler. McKenzie, who used methamphetamine regularly, began to show his true nature. The drug turned him into a monster devoid of any human compassion. Steven, an active and curious 2-year-old child, did what all children his age do. Ran around, made noise, asked for attention, sometimes cried.
But every sound, every movement of the little one caused fits of rage in the man. He started screaming at the child. His voice thundered in the small trailer, making Steven flinch and hide. The boy, who had always been cheerful, started to be afraid. The monster would push the little one when he came too close, roughly grab his hand, leaving bruises on tender skin.
He forbade Steven to cry, threatened him, made him sit quietly in the corner for hours. If the child started whimpering from boredom or hunger, he would approach with a threatening look, looming his huge bulk over the tiny boy. Kayla saw all of this. She watched as her son cringed when her boyfriend entered the room.
She heard the little one quietly sobbing at night. She noticed bruises on his small body, but she did nothing. She was pregnant by him and was afraid of losing him. She was afraid of being alone. She chose this man over her son. He began disciplining Steven for the slightest offenses. If the boy dropped a toy, he got hit on the back of the head.
If he asked for food at the wrong time, they pushed him against the wall. If he started crying, the man would grab his face with his huge hand, squeezing the little one’s cheeks until red marks appeared and hiss in his face. Shut up, or it will be worse. 2-year-old Steven did not understand what was happening.
He did not understand why this scary big person hated him so much. He did not understand why mommy no longer protected him, did not pick him up when he was scared. The little one began to change. He became quiet, withdrawn, afraid to make noise or attract attention to himself. One day in early January, Steven accidentally spilled juice on the floor. It was an accident.
His hands were shaking when he tried to drink from the cup. McKenzie saw this and exploded. He grabbed the boy by the hand with such force that Steven screamed in pain and threw him onto the couch. Then he made the child sit there for several hours without moving, without food, without being able to go to the bathroom until the little one wet himself from fear and helplessness.
When Steven<unk>’s family, his father and grandparents, asked to see the boy, Kayla always had an excuse. She would tell them he was sick or that they were busy or promise next week for sure. She knew that if they saw the bruises, if they noticed how the cheerful little one had changed, they would take him away. And she could not allow that. Not now.
When she was expecting a child from her boyfriend, he also began to show an unhealthy interest in little Steven’s body. He made the child undress, examined him, made comments that made even Kayla feel uncomfortable. But she remained silent. She always remained silent. Using methamphetamine made him more and more paranoid and aggressive.
He began locking the children in the bedroom for long hours while he and Kayla used drugs in another room. Two little ones, Steven and Kevin, sat locked up, hungry, scared, not understanding what was happening. Steven still tried to be the boy he was before. Sometimes when the man left, the little one would start quietly humming a tune from a cartoon.
He would hug his stuffed toy, whisper something to it in his childish language. He still hoped that tomorrow would be better, that mommy would take him away from here, that he could move to music and laugh again. But tomorrow did not get better. With each day, it only got worse. McKenzie became more cruel, more perverted, more dangerous, and Kayla continued to close her eyes to her son’s suffering.
By early January, the boy was no longer that joyful child his family knew. He had become a quiet, frightened little one with dull eyes who was afraid of any sudden movement, any loud sound. He stopped dancing, stopped laughing, stopped being a child, and the worst was still ahead. On January 8th, 2019, an event so disgusting happened that even experienced investigators could barely talk about it.
This would occur just 3 days before the beating that would end his life. That day, Kayla and her boyfriend were in the house with Steven. He was using methamphetamine, a drug that, according to her, turned him into a monster she did not recognize. But what happened next cannot be explained by the influence of drugs alone. This was conscious planned evil.
They were in different ends of the mobile home. He was in Cheyenne’s bedroom who was at work. Kayla and Steven were in the main bedroom. And it was then through private messages on Facebook that he began sending her requests that would forever change little Steven’s life. Investigators later discovered a screenshot of these messages on her phone. in them.
He asked her to perform specific sexual acts on her own 2-year-old son. He asked her to film it on video. He demanded that each video last exactly 30 seconds. He gave detailed instructions about exactly what she should do to the child. Kayla later testified in court that she tried to refuse.
She offered alternatives, said she would use drugs with him or have three-way sex with him and Cheyenne. She even offered naked photos of her friend to calm his perverted desires, but he was adamant. He wanted videos with her son. He wrote to her that if she performed these acts on Steven, he would be able to touch her again. But if she did not allow a third person to join their sex life within a month, there would be problems.
She said she was afraid of him. She was pregnant with his child and was afraid he would harm her or the unborn baby. The next morning, as she testified with tears, I finally, I guess, gave in. What happened next was captured on five videos, each lasting 30 seconds. In the first video, Kayla holds an object.
Little Steven, only 2 years old, stands in front of his mother in the main bedroom. He does not understand what is happening. Perhaps he thinks it is some kind of game. She following his instructions uses this object to penetrate her son’s body. In the second video, the abuse continues. Steven begins to cry. His little body tenses from pain and confusion, but she does not stop.
She continues filming, knowing that her boyfriend is masturbating at the other end of the house, watching these frames in real time. The third video shows another form of sexual abuse. She forces 2-year-old Steven to participate in an oral act. The child tries to pull away, but the mother holds him. The camera continues to record every second of this horror.
The fourth and fifth videos contain additional acts of abuse, each more perverted than the last. Investigator Nathan Delp later testified that when asked why they chose Steven for the abuse, he answered with horrifying simplicity. Because he was the one who was there that day. After all five videos were filmed, Kayla sent them to her boyfriend through Facebook Messenger.
He saved a screenshot of one of them on his phone. Later, she admitted in court that after committing these acts, she felt disgusted with herself. But this disgust was not strong enough to make her protect her son from what would happen next. The medical examination conducted after Steven’s death revealed bruises on the child’s anus and inside the rectum.
Physical evidence of the horror he experienced 5 days earlier. Forensic doctors also discovered traces of injuries that indicated that the abuse was brutal and painful for the little boy. The investigation discovered that the killer also raped Kevin, his own son. This child’s case was referred to child protective services, but for Steven, help would never come.
On January 8th, Steven went to bed in pain and confusion, not understanding why his mommy did what she did to him. He could not know that in just 3 days he would suffer a beating so brutal it would take his life. Friday, January 11th, 2019 started as an ordinary day. Kayla was supposed to go to work at Delhi Mart on Rono Street in Christiansburg.
Between 1 and 2 in the afternoon, her boyfriend drove her to work. Little Steven stayed with him. After 2:00 in the afternoon, he picked up Kevin from his mother, Cheyenne. Now, in the mobile home were three, the killer, and two little ones. What happened during the next few hours is still not exactly known.
He changed his story several times, and each new version contradicted the previous one. At 8:35 in the evening, text messages began between Kayla and her boyfriend. She asked how he was doing, and he replied that he had fallen asleep. Then Kayla wrote, “Why is Steven the way he is? I know it is not all my fault.” His response was cold and unfeilling.
You need to stop worrying about his stupid butt. At 9:05 in the evening, he called her. What they talked about is unknown. Phone records show only the fact of the call itself. And then at 9:13 in the evening, he dialed 911. When the dispatcher answered, he said in an agitated voice that his girlfriend’s son was jumping on the bed, fell, and now is not responding.
but is still breathing. He said there is a mark on the boy’s forehead. During the 7-inute conversation, he sounded scared. Before hanging up after the arrival of rescuers, he told the dispatcher, “I am so scared. His mommy is at work and I am going to throw up.” When officer Aaron Lusk of the Christiansburg Police Department arrived on the scene first, the killer told him that the two children were playing in the bedroom, jumping on the bed, and Steven fell.
But the picture the officer saw did not match this story. He was sitting on the living room floor next to the lifeless body of a tiny blonde boy. Steven was partially dressed. Both his eyes were bruised, not just light bruises, but dark, deep bruises that spoke of strong blows. The child had no heartbeat. Officer Lusk also noticed in the house a second little one, 2-year-old Kevin.
The boy was scared and silent, pressing against the wall. Later, he would tell investigators what would completely change the course of the investigation. The officer immediately began cardopulmonary resuscitation before paramedics arrived and took control of the situation. Rescuers performed resuscitation on little Steven for almost 25 minutes.
25 agonizing minutes during which they desperately tried to bring the dying child back to life. Finally, they found a weak pulse. Steven was immediately placed in an ambulance and taken to Lewis Gale Hospital Montgomery. But his condition was so critical that soon he had to be airlifted to Curillian Ronoke Memorial Hospital where he was connected to life support.
When medical personnel began examining little Steven’s body, they immediately understood that this was not an accident. The injuries they found were not consistent with a fall from a toddler bed 13 in high onto carpet with a playmat. These were injuries from brutal systematic beating. If Steven<unk>’s story touched you as much as it did me, please share this video with your friends on social media.
Maybe this will help someone notice the signs of child abuse and step in on time. A simple repost can save someone’s life. In the hospital, doctors desperately tried to save Steven, but his injuries were too extensive. Tests showed that the little one had only minimal brain activity.
His little body was destroyed by the violence he was subjected to. Steven’s family came to the hospital hoping for a miracle. His father, his grandmother and grandfather, Melinda and Carl, his stepmother, Michelle. All of them prayed and waited by the dying boy’s bedside. They held his little hand, talked to him, hoping he would hear their voices and come back.
But the miracle did not happen. At 7:40 in the evening on Sunday, January 13th, 2019, 2 days after the beating, 2-year-old Steven Dale Meek II was declared dead. His short life ended just 6 months before his third birthday. Christiansburg Police Chief Mark Sison, a law enforcement veteran who had seen many horrible things in his career, told reporters, “What happened to this innocent child can only be described as horrifying.
We can only imagine the pain felt by Steven Meek’s loved ones. So, uh, this week’s been a very tough week, uh, for the law enforcement members that have investigated this case, um, and also family members affected by obviously this is a tragedy in our community. You know, a lot of things this week resonated with me. You know, as you look at this picture of this young man, you know, children in our community are absolutely um um they’re cherished.
You know, they are um individuals without voice. And many times in those situations and situations like we’ve encountered this week, it’s um it’s our job to be their voice. And uh we will absolutely be their voice. uh be um this young man’s voice throughout the continuation of this investigation through the prosecution.
So, I just felt like I needed to just needed to get that off of me. And again, it’s been a tough week. Uh I thank you guys for being here. I am Mark Sis and I’m the police chief in Christiansburg. And um I wish we were here on better circumstances, but I do appreciate you being here to share the story. Uh, it is with a sense of profound sadness that I stand before you today.
As you’re already aware, on Friday, January the 11th, at approximately 9:15 p.m., the Christiansburg Police Department and Christiansburg Rescue responded to a call report an unresponsive child who had fallen at a residence at 4:30 Zinc Lane, the town of Christiansburg. The child who we can now identify as Steven Delme II, age two, ultimately died from the injuries he sustained.
The incident resulted in a very detailed and thorough investigation of the events leading up to the death of Steven Meek. We’re now in position to provide information about what we have discovered. Friday night, officer Aaron Lust, the first responder to the call, arrived to find an adult male, McKenzie Kyle Hillman, aged 25, seated on the floor next to the unresponsive child, later identified as Steven me.
At the time of the incident, Helman resided at the resident on Zinc Lane with Steven and Steven’s mother, Kayla Thomas, also aged 25. Helman is Kayla Thomas’ boyfriend and is not not related to her son Steven. Kayla Thomas was at work at the time of the incident. Shortly after officer Lust arrival, members of the Christiansburg Rescue Squad arrived along with Officer Lust.
They began to perform CP CPR and perform CPR for approximately 25 minutes before a pulse was detected. Steven was transported by ambulance to Louiswis Gale McGomery Regional Hospital and then airlifted to Korean Reno Memorial Hospital. While treating Steven, medical professionals indicated uh or including a forensics nurse discovered bruising and injury that did not appear appear to be consistent with the preliminary uh statement that the Tyler had fallen from a crib or a bed.
A criminal investigation was initiated. and our detectives worked around the clock conducting interviews, executing search warrants, and collecting evidence. This investigation revealed evidence indicating that Steven had been the victim of physical physical abuse. And as a result, on Sunday, January the 11th, Mackenzie Helman was arrested and charged with one count of felony child abuse.
Medical evaluation at Reno Memorial revealed minimal brain activity and Steven was placed on life support in a pediatric care unit. Tragically, at approximately 7:40 p.m. on Sunday, January the 13th, Steven Mc Mix died. Our detectives continued with their investigation in the cause of Steven’s death and ultimately uncovered evidence indicating that Steven was not only the victim of physical abuse that resulted in his injuries on January the 11th, but also that he had been the victim of sexual abuse at the hands of both
Mackenzie Helman and his mother, Kayla Thomas. Preliminary forensics evidence indicates that Steven died as a result of extreme blunt force trauma to the head. The number and severity of injuries indicate that the injuries were not the result of one impact from a fall as we were initially told by Mackenzie Helman.
Instead, the evidence indicates multiple injuries to the head and body area. Additionally, evidence uncovered during the investigation imple implement both Helman and Kayla Thomas in the ongoing sexual abuse of this child. As a result of these findings, on Thursday, January the 17th, McKenzie Helman was charged and also Kayla Thomas.
And you uh have been provided those charges. I will not read through those. The one thing I will elaborate on quickly uh is a felony murder charge. Uh there’ll be a lot of questions about that. Uh felony murder described is when the victim accidentally dies during the commission of another felony.
The other felony in this case is child abuse. With regards to this charge, the investigation is continuing and is likely that this charge will be upgraded as we work this case with Commonwealth Attorney’s Office. At this time, both Helman and Thomas are being held without bond at the Western Virginia Regional Jail. I would like to take a few minutes to recognize some extraordinary efforts of some people who have worked this case during the week.
The first responder, Officer Lusk, and the members of the Christiansburg Rescue Squad who tirelessly perfor performed CPR to try to save Steven. The medical staff at both Louisis Scale McGomery Regional Hospital and Korean Reno Memorial Hospital Hospital for their efforts in caring for Steven. the McGomery County Sheriff’s Office who provided assistance with the crime scene processing and finally the entire criminal investigative unit here at the Christiansburg Police Department.
Their professionalism, diligence, and training allowed them to conduct what was a very difficult investigation and to discover evidence necessary to bring the persons responsible for the abuse and ultimately the brutal death of Steven Meeks to justice. I would also like to thank the McGomery County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office for their partnership as we move into the prosecution phase of this case.
We are very fortunate in this community where violent crime is rare. The same good fortune makes it all the all the more shocking when events like this happen within our community. What happened to this innocent child can only be described as horrific and we can only imagine the pain felt by the loved ones of Steven Meeks and our hearts and prayers go out to the families involved.
While the initial phase of the invest investigation has concluded, this case is not over with prosecution still pending. I will not comment on specific evidence founds or statements made by individual parties. The autopsy of Little Steven was performed by Dr. Amy Tharp, assistant chief medical examiner of the state of Virginia with 25 years of experience.
What she discovered made even her shudder. On the 2-year-old boy’s body were 35 separate injuries from blows. 22 on the outside of the head and another 13 under the scalp, invisible from the outside. These were not traces of one fall. These were traces of systematic, methodical beating. on Steven<unk>’s forehead and the back of his head remained imprints patterns that shoes leave when they stomp on something.
Someone stomped on this child’s head from the front, from the back again and again. Inside the little one’s mouth were four injuries. His own teeth cut the gums from the inside from the force of blows to the face. Both eyes were covered with dark, deep bruises. The entire little body was covered with traces of violence.
10 injuries on the torso, damage to arms and legs from attempts to defend himself. Bleeding in the retinas of both eyes showed that the child was shaken with such force that tiny blood vessels burst. Bleeding inside the spinal cord indicated extreme violence on the little one’s body. Evidence of sexual abuse committed 5 days earlier was written on Steven’s body.
Bruises on the anus, tears and bruises inside the rectum, injuries in the genital area, damage so brutal and painful that a 2-year-old child suffered from them for several days before he was killed. Each of these injuries screamed about the horror the little one experienced at the hands of those who should have protected him.
But the most horrifying was what was found inside the skull. Dr. Tharp explained, “When a child is born, his skull consists of several bones connected by soft tissue, soft spots. By 2 years, these bones fuse into a solid skull. In Steven, the bleeding and pressure inside the head were so strong that they tore these fused bones back apart.
The pressure from internal bleeding was enough to tear apart the skull of a 2-year-old child. The doctor established the cause of death, blunt force trauma to the head. When the prosecutor asked if these injuries could be the result of falling from a toddler bed 13 in high onto carpet, her answer was clear and categorical.
If such a height could kill a child, none of us would have survived childhood. This was not a fall. This was murder. A few days after Steven’s death, investigators carefully spoke with the only witness to what happened in that bedroom on January 11th, 2-year-old Kevin. That same frightened little one that officer Lusk saw pressed against the wall when he arrived on the call.
The questioning was conducted by specialists in working with children using toys and simple pictures. A 2-year-old child cannot tell a detailed story, but he can show with gestures what he saw. Kevin depicted movements with his hand and foot, hits and kicks. When they showed him photographs, he pointed to his father.
A few simple words he could say, “Daddy hit with foot.” Steven cried. Together with the autopsy results destroyed all the false versions. During interrogations, the killer changed his story many times. First, he told Detective Delp that the boys were playing with toy cars on the floor. Then he claimed he did not remember what happened.
Then he stated that he pushed Steven, separating the fighting children, and the boy hit his head on the dresser. Only when faced with the child’s testimony and the autopsy results showing 35 separate injuries did he finally admit that he hit Steven on the head with force. He said he heard Steven sobbing when he left the bedroom.
But even this admission was far from the full truth about what happened in that room. Kevin, himself a victim of sexual abuse, became a key witness to Steven<unk>’s murder. Later, his mother, Cheyenne, would marry Steven<unk>’s father. So, two boys who suffered would grow up as stepbros. His testimony together with the doctor’s conclusion gave investigators an ironclad case.
What happened to Steven was not an accident. This was deliberate, brutal murder of a defenseless child. On Sunday, January 13th, the same day Steven died, police arrested McKenzie Kyle Helman and charged him with aggravated child abuse. He was held without bond in Montgomery County Jail. As the investigation continued and investigators analyzed the phones, the true scale of the horror began to emerge.
On his phone, detective Nathan Delp discovered a photograph, an image of a woman’s hand holding an object that was used for sexual penetration of the little one. When shown this photograph and asked about it, he confirmed that the child in the photo was Steven and the woman’s hand belonged to Kayla. He admitted that he asked her to take it and send it to him.
When the investigator asked why, he answered with frightening honesty. I wanted to see how child abuse would affect me and explore the extent of my sexual needs. On Kayla’s phone, investigators discovered a screenshot of messages in which he asked her to film several videos of specific sexual acts on Steven as well as the videos themselves.
All five clips of 30 seconds each. On Wednesday, January 16th, Christiansburg police arrested Steven’s mother, 25-year-old Kayla Nicole Thomas. Charges against her included committing forcible sodomy, penetration with an object, production of child pornography, possession and distribution of child pornography, as well as child neglect.
She, who was pregnant at the time, was placed in Western Virginia regional jail and held without bond. The next day, this woman had the absolute audacity to appear before the judge and ask in tears if she could be released from jail to attend her son’s funeral. The judge denied the request.
The day after her arrest, the charges were sharply increased and included murder while committing another felony. Aggravated child abuse, two counts of aggravated sexual battery of a child under 13 years old, solicitation of a minor for sexual purposes, being an accessory to sexual penetration, forcible sodomy, possession, production, and distribution of child pornography.
In March 2021, more than 2 years after Steven<unk>’s murder, a 3-day trial began on charges related to sexual abuse. During the trial, prosecutors showed three videos found on Kayla’s phone. According to testimony, the defendant confessed to police that he asked her to perform sexual acts on her son to see if it would arouse him.
On March 15th, 2021, the jury deliberated for only 30 minutes before returning a verdict. guilty on all charges related to sexual abuse. The jury recommended sentencing him to two life sentences. The trial of 27year-old Kayla Thomas began on June 9th, 2021 and required only one day. Her defense claimed that he forced her to commit these acts that she was afraid of him and feared for her life and the life of her unborn child.
But then the prosecution presented evidence that completely destroyed this defense. She admitted on the stand that she was still writing love letters to him. Very recently, just 2 weeks before the start of her trial, dated May 18th and May 23rd, 2021. The unfortunate jury had to watch all five videos that she filmed of the abuse.
After viewing these frames, it took the jurors only an hour of deliberation to return a verdict. Guilty on all charges. The jury recommended a sentence of two life terms plus 10 years. On July 26th, before his second case could go to trial, McKenzie Helman pleaded guilty to the remaining charges of secondderee murder and child abuse. On August 10th, 2021, a sentencing hearing for both was held.
Four members of Steven’s family gave their victim impact statement. Stepgrandfather Carl could barely speak through tears. I would like an explanation. I miss him. So many things I looked forward to teaching him, but now we will not have that. The little one’s father said to the court, “We all miss him more than words can describe.
” Grandmother Melinda spoke directly to the defendants. I cannot wrap my head around it. He was so precious. She was supposed to protect that baby. Throughout all the statements, the killer looked to the side, showing absolutely no emotion. When the judge asked if he had anything to say, he shook his head and simply answered, “No.
” He loved he loved me. He loved his grandma. He loved his father. He loved his other grandma. He loved his aunts, uncles, cousins. Together, they shifted the focus from the terrible things Helman put him through to the beautiful baby boy he was. Vicky Bells was his favorite cartoon. I can’t even pray myself to watch Mickey Mouse.
I’d do anything to have him back. I really would. That picture right there, that’s the one that I’m missing bad, your honor. Helman plead guilty to murder and child abuse. He was also convicted for the unthinkable sexual abuse he and his ex-girlfriend subjected the young boy to.
She also happens to be the little boy’s mother. I hope that you get the punishment that you deserve and suffer just like we have the loss of this baby boy. Judge Robert Turk sentenced McKenzie Helman two life terms plus 90 additional years in prison. Commonwealth attorney Mary Pettit said little Steven Meek paid the ultimate price for his evil choices.
He has little remorse. Thankfully he will spend the rest of his life in prison. On September 23rd, 2021, Kayla Nicole Thomas made a statement removing her face mask to reveal a tearful face. I am deeply, deeply remorseful for what happened. I would give anything to have my baby boy back. Judge Mike Fleiner said, “This was a very disturbing, troubling, and just horrific case for all involved.
The evidence against you was overwhelming and clearly proved depraved, incomprehensible crimes against your own son. The judge sentenced 28-year-old Kayla to two life terms plus 10 additional years. Steven Dale Meek II lived only 2 years, 5 months, and 30 days. But in that short time, he filled the world around him with so much light.
He was a boy who woke up every morning with a smile. A boy whose little feet started moving the moment he heard music. A boy who hugged his stuffed Mickey Mouse so tight he couldn’t fall asleep without him. A boy who called his grandparents big gray dog Wooy Woo and followed his grandpa everywhere, begging him to sing Baby Shark one more time.
His stepmother Michelle carries a keychain with Mickey Mouse to remember him everyday. I miss everything about you, your I love yous and mama. Look, I hope you somehow knew that this mama loved you and was always on your side. Grandfather Carl said, “I still see his little face. I still hear his laugh.
And I will miss him everyday for the rest of my life. If you see signs of child abuse, unexplained bruises, sudden behavior changes, fear of going home, fear of certain people, do not stay silent. One call can save a life. Be the one who stands between a child and danger. Steven’s story needs to be heard. Subscribe to the channel. Share this video. Tell his story.
Let his short life mean something.
