CABARRUS COUNTY, NC — Tuesday, Kilah Davenport’s family came face-to-face with the man now charged with her murder. Joshua Houser faced a judge in Cabarrus County for a custody hearing involving Kilah’s younger brother.
The Davenports want him to give up his rights to his son, Bladen, who was born while Houser was in jail for abusing Kilah. The judge continued the case until January.
“Mr. Houser did what he did to Kilah, and I refuse to let him do that to my other child,” said Kilah’s mother Kirbi Davenport. “Bladen is innocent in all of this. Bladen is just a baby. Kilah was just a baby.”
A jury convicted Houser of felony child abuse in February. Kilah died a month later from pneumonia due to complications from her head injuries. The case inspired changes to state and federal child abuse laws.
