A year after trial starts, Shelton found guility of murder, child abuse

BY CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer

Pamella Shelton has faced trial for the murder of her step-grandchild twice since Rosalie Rawls’ death led to an October 2019 trial that ended in a mistrial and another trial started in June 2021 but completed just last week in Elmore county.

Shelton was found guilty last week of murder and aggravated child abuse after her trial was paused for more than a year as prosecutors searched for a key witness — Shelton’s daughter.

“A jury was empaneled in late June 2021, but the trial was put on hold due to the unavailability of a material witness, the defendant’s daughter, but not the mother of the deceased child, who was present in the home when the fatal injuries occurred to the victim and who initially gave statements to investigators,” 19th Judicial Circuit Chief Deputy District Attorney C.J. Robinson said. “The state produced evidence that this material witness was intentionally subverting attempts by law enforcement to be served and whilst doing so was communicating with Shelton about the status of court proceedings. Shelton even secretly informed her daughter that a warrant had been issued to secure her daughter’s

“The Wetumpka Police Department is to be commended for their dedication and hard work on this case as investigators worked tirelessly to uncover the truth.” attendance as a witness.”

Prosecutors contend Shelton and her daughter were the only people present when Rosalie’s injuries occurred.

Authorities kept tabs on Shelton and the daughter by monitoring phone messages. Court documents detail how Shelton hid her daughter from law enforcement, paying rent for an apartment in Prattville and driving her halfway to Florida while trying to prevent her daughter from being served a summons to testify against her.

“Shelton’s daughter was located by law enforcement and was taken into custody,” Robinson said.

Judge Bill Lewis set the trial to resume immediately with the same jury empaneled 13 months earlier.

Through her attorney Jennifer Holden, Shelton objected stating it was prejudicial and argued for the release from jail of Shelton’s daughter.

Rosalie’s mother Quneshia Rawls testified describing her toddler daughter being full of energy from the witness stand.

“She liked to dance around and sing into silverware,” Rawls said in 2019. “Her dad snores, so she would go around the house fake snoring. She was sassy too, quick to express her opinion. She was a happy child.”

Rosalie died in Birmingham at Children’s Hospital three days after what prosecutors described as a brutal attack on July 20, 2017.

The state called witnesses to explain the trauma caused to Rosalie would not come from an accident.

“The state elicited expert testimony detailing the extensive head injuries and abusive head trauma that could only be caused by ‘violently shaking and slamming the skull of this child against a hard surface’ resulting in her death,” Robinson said. “The long-time expert testified the fatal injuries came from force imposed on the victim’s head that was equivalent to a high-speed car wreck with the car flipping end-over-end and then being slammed onto a hard, ungiving surface.”

Shelton chose not to put on a defense.

Felony murder and aggravated child abuse are both Class A felonies with a punishment range of 10-99 years or life.

Robinson thanked law enforcement and the victim’s family for their diligence and unwavering resolve to obtain justice.

“First of all, this case does not end this way without patience and a commitment to the process from Judge Lewis and the circuit clerk,” Robinson said. “The Wetumpka Police Department is to be commended for their dedication and hard work on this case as investigators worked tirelessly to uncover the truth. This family has been through hell. I pray no one ever must endure the horrors this family has lived through.”

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