Grandmother speaks out after tragic death of two-year-old in Biloxi
On December 27th, a two-year-old died in Biloxi. Now his mother, 21-year-old Hailey Heard and stepfather 38-year-old Joseph Heard are being charged with capital murder in the child’s death.
Kelly Bataille was heading to Texas when she scrolled through her Facebook timeline and saw a post saying a two-year-old was dead, not knowing the child was her grandson, Hayden Bataille. “An investigator called me and told me it was him. I just turned around and I came back.”
On December 27th, Bataille’s daughter, 21-year-old Hailey Heard, called 911 and said her son was unresponsive. First responders arrived at the home on St. Mary Boulevard in Biloxi and took the child to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. “I can’t even begin to imagine what happened. There was abuse in the home.”
Bataille began to see her daughter and her grandson less and less because Hayden’s stepfather, 38-year-old Joseph Heard, kept them isolated and even more after she questioned him about bruises and burns she had been noticing on Hayden. “She got to work and that was pretty much it. We didn’t get to see the baby. So, we don’t know what was going on in the home.”
Before the mother and stepfather were charged with capital murder, Bataille took to Facebook using the hashtag #justiceforbambam. “I don’t want his life to be in vain, if that justice for bambam saves one.”
Bataille says not only did she lose her grandson, she also lost her daughter, who she said must pay for what she did. “I have to be his voice. I have to do what’s right and be his voice.”
All Bataille has now are the memories of the time they shared. “He was just a good kid. He was just happy.”
