Tonight’s season finale of Real Detective follows investigator Clarence Douglas as he probes the death of six-year-old Raysate Chain Knight — whose body went unidentified for six months after she was found dead in a ditch.
The episode is titled Angel Doe, the name Raysate was known by before she was identified. In it Douglas is determined to find out why her death wasn’t reported and how she ended up being neglected.
Raysate’s body was found on September 9, 2001, showing she had suffered bruising and was malnourished before she died.
She had been killed after sustaining blunt trauma to the head. An autopsy reportedly showed she had suffered from physical abuse for a long period of time.
Her mother Connie Knight, who had a history with Child Protective Services, was arrested in March 2002 in connection with the death. She later admitted to causing her daughter’s death.
CPS said Raysate wasn’t supposed to be living with her mother and had been removed from her custody immediately after her birth because Knight tested positive for drug use.
After she did not submit to drug treatment, Raysate’s grandmother said she would take care of her. Custody of the girl was then transferred from CPS to the grandmother in November of 1996.
Watch the Latest on our YouTube ChannelCPS reportedly visited Knight’s home in 1998 to find that Raysate wasn’t there and that her siblings — who were still living with Knight — seemed fine.
Police said the grandmother gave Angel Doe back to Connie after she got sick and couldn’t take care of her anymore.
One of Connie Knight’s other daughters testified in court that she was in the master bedroom with her parents watching a movie when Raysate entered the room. Her stepfather Raymond Jefferson Jr then kicked her for no reason and the force of the blow caused her to hit a heater, she then began shaking.
Raysate’s mother is reportedly serving 50 years in prison while Jefferson Jr received a life sentence after being convicted of causing her serious bodily injuries.
Real Detective airs Thursdays at 10/9c on Investigation Discovery.