REMEMBERING ZAEYANA

Zaeyana Janae Driggs-Threats was just two years old when her life was taken on August 14, 2013, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Born on June 22, 2011, Zaeyana was a little girl who should have been enjoying the earliest years of her childhood, learning new things, playing, and growing alongside her brothers.

Instead, she suffered fatal injuries while in the care of her father, DeShawn Ramon Threats.

Her death revealed a history of domestic violence, concerns involving her family's home, and injuries that indicated she had experienced physical abuse.

Zaeyana's Story

On the morning of August 14, 2013, emergency responders were called to a home on Fourth Street Northwest in Grand Rapids after Zaeyana was reported to be having trouble breathing.

Her mother, Darci Jo Driggs, later testified that Threats had brought Zaeyana into the bathroom while holding her beneath her arms.

When he placed Zaeyana on the floor, Driggs noticed dark marks on her daughter's face.

She initially thought the marks were dirt, but they were bruises.

Zaeyana was cold and unresponsive.

Her parents attempted CPR and called 911, but emergency responders were unable to revive her.

Zaeyana was pronounced dead at the scene.

An autopsy determined that she died from severe blunt force trauma to her abdomen.

The medical examiner documented extensive injuries, including bruises to her face, head, arms, back, and abdomen.

She had suffered internal injuries to her pancreas and diaphragm, and her stomach had ruptured from the force of the trauma.

The examination also revealed evidence of earlier injuries, including an older rib fracture.

Investigators determined that Zaeyana had been in her father's exclusive care during the period when the fatal injuries occurred.

Threats denied killing his daughter.

However, investigators documented his admission that he had caused injuries to her arms, and medical evidence established that the fatal abdominal trauma had been inflicted while she was in his care.

The medical examiner concluded that Zaeyana would have died within approximately one minute to one hour after the fatal injuries were inflicted.

She was only two years old.

Warning Signs and System Failures

Zaeyana's death occurred against a documented history of domestic violence and earlier child welfare involvement.

Her mother had previously sought personal protection orders against DeShawn Threats.

In court documents filed in September 2012 and June 2013, Driggs described repeated physical violence, threats, and fear for her children's safety.

She reported that Threats had choked, slapped, and pushed her, pulled out her hair, and threatened to kill her.

In June 2013, she described an incident in which Threats approached her with a hammer.

She expressed concern that he might eventually kill her or hurt their children.

Despite these concerns, the couple continued living together.

Children's Protective Services had also been involved with the family since March 2013, when Zaeyana's younger brother tested positive for marijuana at birth.

Services were offered, but records indicated that the family's participation was minimal.

Driggs canceled several appointments and participated only to a limited extent in others.

Investigators also reported that both parents used marijuana regularly, including on the day Zaeyana died.

Following her death, child protection authorities removed her infant brother from the home. Another son was placed in his father's care.

Court records also revealed injuries to Zaeyana's younger brother, raising additional concerns about the safety of the children.

Although both parents were examined during the child protection investigation, DeShawn Threats was the person convicted of causing Zaeyana's death.

The history of violence and prior child welfare involvement demonstrated that serious concerns existed before Zaeyana was killed.

JUSTICE FOR ZAEYANA

Following Zaeyana's death, DeShawn Ramon Threats was arrested and charged with felony murder.

Prosecutors presented evidence that Zaeyana suffered fatal abdominal injuries while she was in her father's exclusive care.

During the trial, the medical examiner described the extensive injuries found on her body, including the rupture of her stomach and evidence of previous physical trauma.

The prosecution also introduced evidence of Threats' prior domestic violence against members of his household.

A jury found Threats guilty of first degree felony murder.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Threats appealed his conviction, challenging the sufficiency of the evidence and the admission of testimony concerning his previous acts of domestic violence.

On December 10, 2015, the Michigan Court of Appeals upheld his conviction.

The appellate court determined that sufficient evidence supported the jury's verdict and rejected his claims of reversible trial error.

DeShawn Ramon Threats

Relationship to Zaeyana: Father

Conviction(s): First degree felony murder

Sentence: Life imprisonment without the possibility of parole

FOREVER REMEMBERED

Zaeyana Janae Driggs-Threats was only two years old.

She should have been growing up alongside her brothers, discovering the world, and experiencing the simple joys of childhood.

She should have celebrated her third birthday.

There should have been family photographs, school memories, friendships, and countless milestones still ahead of her.

Instead, her life ended inside the home where she should have been protected.

The injuries found after her death revealed suffering that no child should ever endure.

Her story also exposed the dangers children can face when domestic violence and other serious concerns are present in their homes.

But Zaeyana deserves to be remembered for more than the circumstances of her death.

She was a daughter.

She was a sister.

She was a little girl whose life mattered.

She deserved love, gentleness, safety, and the opportunity to grow up.

Her childhood should not have ended at two years old.

Zaeyana's name deserves to be remembered, and her story deserves to be told.

Abuse Angels remembers Zaeyana Janae Driggs-Threats.

Remembered. Honored. Never Forgotten.