DJ Quik’s daughter, Davieanna Marlena Blake, was charged with murder in May 2013 after her two-year-old son was beaten to death at a Phoenix apartment. She was 21 at the time. Her boyfriend and the child’s father, Darnell Moses Alvarez, 24, was charged alongside her. Both faced one count of first-degree murder and two counts of felony child abuse.1OC Weekly. DJ Quik Struggles to Not Be Strangled by His Roots
How the Child Died
On May 1, 2013, Phoenix police responded to a call and found Blake and Alvarez standing over their unconscious son outside their apartment. The boy was taken to the hospital and died from his injuries.2Phoenix New Times. Darnell Alvarez Beat His 2-Year-Old Son to Death With a Belt, Cops Say
Court documents and a probable-cause statement said Alvarez had been “disciplining” the boy with a woven leather belt after the child wet himself or the bed. Neighbors reported hearing what they described as excessive spanking coming from the apartment.3St. Louis American. Daughter of DJ Quik Reportedly Arrested for Murder and Child Abuse Blake told investigators she did not intervene because she was afraid of upsetting Alvarez further.4Phoenix New Times. Top Ten Worst of the Worst Moms in the Valley
The autopsy showed a lacerated liver, severe internal bleeding, and extensive bruising across the child’s legs, arms, buttocks, back, and face, all consistent with repeated blows from a belt.3St. Louis American. Daughter of DJ Quik Reportedly Arrested for Murder and Child Abuse After the boy became lethargic and stopped breathing, court documents said, the parents did not seek medical attention because they feared involvement from Child Protective Services.2Phoenix New Times. Darnell Alvarez Beat His 2-Year-Old Son to Death With a Belt, Cops Say
The Charges and What Happened in Court
Both defendants were arrested on May 2, 2013, and booked into a Maricopa County jail. Alvarez’s bond was set at $500,000; Blake’s at $250,000.2Phoenix New Times. Darnell Alvarez Beat His 2-Year-Old Son to Death With a Belt, Cops Say Arizona CPS reported no prior abuse or neglect complaints involving either parent, and no other children lived in the home.5Arizona Department of Child Safety. Blake Alvarez Child Fatality Report
The case was designated a capital case, meaning both defendants faced the possibility of the death penalty. A January 2015 report placed the trial on the calendar for October 2015.1OC Weekly. DJ Quik Struggles to Not Be Strangled by His Roots The available records do not confirm a final verdict, plea, or sentence for either defendant.
Family Background
Davieanna Blake is the daughter of David Marvin Blake, the Compton rapper and producer known professionally as DJ Quik, born January 18, 1970.6AllMusic. DJ Quik He has at least two other children, a son, David Blake Jr., and a daughter, Damyiah Mornaé.7BlackPast. DJ Quik (David Marvin Blake) His fame drew national attention to the Phoenix case when the charges were announced.