Family mourns 20‑month‑old James as man accused of killing toddler faces Prince George court for first time

PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- The man accused of killing a 20-month-old boy in Prince George County made his first appearance in court Wednesday morning.

31-year-old Tyler Skinner spoke to the judge over video call from Riverside Regional Jail and gave one-word answers as the judge read out his charges -- felony child abuse and second degree murder -- in the death of the toddler that family told 8News was named James.

His maternal aunt, who asked to be identified only by her first name, Monica, said James was a goofball.

"If anyone was on the phone he had to make his presence known," Monica said. "His laugh was contagious his smile lit up the room for someone so young."

James died on Monday, March 2, after Prince George police responded to a call for an unresponsive child.

Police said James's mother found him after she came home from work.

"She works night shift at a local business," said Alexis Grochmal, the public information officer for the Prince George Police Department. "And she arrived home that morning, came in to check on the child, and realized that he was not breathing when she arrived."

Grochmal said James's mother called her own mother, who then made the 911 call.

When officers arrived to the 100 block of Blue Jay Street at 8:17am, they found James with severe trauma.

"There was just some bruising on the body that [the officer] noticed," Grochmal said. "Some severe, severe bruising."

Police later arrested Skinner, who they say is the boyfriend of James's mother.

In court Wednesday, Skinner was appointed an attorney by the court. He is currently being held without bail, but that attorney could motion to have him released.

Skinner's next hearing is scheduled for June 16.