$50K bond set for Orange County woman accused in 3-year-old's beating death

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — One of the women accused in the beating death of a 3-year-old boy because he drank from a milk jug and ate yogurt will not face a murder charge, for now.

Lakesha Lewis, 28, Calleen Barton, 57, and the child’s mother, Brandi Mokarzel, 23, were arrested earlier this month in connection with Xavier Mokarzel-Satchel’s death.

Xavier died in July at the Eagle Landing apartments on Silver Star Road in Orange County's Pine Hills neighborhood.

Mokarzel told investigators she woke up to Barton yelling at her son for, “drinking milk from a milk jug and eating yogurt.”

She told a deputy that during the attack, she tried multiple times to call 911, but Barton, “knocked the phone out of her hand” telling if she called for help, “she had something coming.”

Lewis was in court for a bond hearing Friday.

Her goal was to try and get bond, which she had, but the jail wouldn’t let her go until after the hearing. Her bond had been set at $100 shortly after her arrest.

Although she was arrested for first-degree murder, the state cannot bring about that charge without the approval of a grand jury.

Mokarzel, who was Lewis’ girlfriend, and a detective took the stand.

She said Lewis beat her son and Lewis' mother, Barton, then threw the 3-year-old, causing him to injure his neck.

When asked if Lewis seemed worried about Xavier after seeing his injuries, the detective said, "Not at all."

Body camera video was played in the courtroom of Xavier receiving medical treatment.

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The video shows that at first, Mokarzel did not tell deputies who injured her son.

“I was scared. Callene Barton kept going up behind the officer while I was trying to speak with them and Lakesha Lewis was standing in the doorway,” she said.

Mokarzel said she gave Lewis permission to punish Xavier and that the beatings escalated from a hand, to a slipper and then a curtain rod.

She said she too beat Xavier with a slipper and a plastic spoon in the past.

Read: Woman arrested in death of Pine Hills boy, 3, has child-abuse conviction, records say

Mokarzel testified that Lewis was violent with her before and once choked her to the point where her throat was swollen.

The state argued Lewis should not receive bond because she intimidated and threatened Mokarzel, but a judge said those allegations were not proved beyond a reasonable doubt.

In the end, the judge found that Lewis is a danger to the community and Mokarzel if she is released on a low bond.

The judge then set Lewis’ bond at $50,000.

If Lewis bonds out she will not be allowed to have weapons or be in contact with children.

Cox Media Group