Spotsylvania father sentenced to 20 years in prison after toddler died with cocaine in his system

SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- A Spotsylvania father, 25-year-old Cinceir Croxton, will spend 20 years in prison for the death of his 2-year-old son who died with cocaine in his system.

Cinceir Croxton Jr., or CJ, died on Dec. 7, 2023. In August of 2024, both of his parents were charged with his death. 

Croxton was originally charged with second-degree murder, child abuse, possession of drugs with the intent to sell, possession of a firearm under the influence of drugs and child endangerment. After accepting a plea deal in October of 2025, the firearm and child endangerment charges were dropped. Part of the plea deal was capping his sentence at 20 years.

CJ's mother, Kahleighya Coleman, accepted a plea deal in March. She was originally charged with the same five charges as Croxton, and had the same two charges dropped as part of her plea deal. She was sentenced to 15 years in prison in October of 2025.

On Monday, March 23, Judge William Glover honored the plea deal and sentenced Croxton to 40 years for second-degree murder with 20 years suspended, five years for child abuse with all five years suspended, and 40 years for possession with then intent to sell with all 40 years suspended.

Facts of the case

CJ and his parents were staying at the Econo Lodge in Spotsylvania when Coleman noticed he was unconscious around 10 a.m. and called 911. He was flown from Spotsylvania to VCU’s pediatric hospital. The Commonwealth’s Attorney said during Coleman's sentencing hearing in October that neither of them went to the hospital with him.

On Dec. 6, 2023, CJ was declared brain dead. He passed away on Dec. 7 and became an organ donor. He was given an Honor Walk for his donation with neither parent by his side.

The hospital contacted law enforcement and the Department of Social Services (DSS) after CJ tested positive for having narcotics in his system.

Testimony

Lieutenant Michael Tillman testified during the sentencing hearing. He was working in the Child Victims Unit with the Spotsylvania Sheriff's Office when they were contacted by the hospital that CJ tested positive for cocaine. Law enforcement got a search warrant.

His bodycam footage was played for the court, where he testified that he saw white powder on a Play Station and the dresser. In an unlocked safe, authorities found more white powder, narcotics and one firearm. Other firearms were found in a hamper and in their car.

Authorities recovered 70 grams of cocaine and $4,000 in cash.

They also found snakes in a Pack N Play, typically used for children to sleep in. Inside of the Pack N Play was a lit up reptile cage with boa pythons.

Heather Mesimer, a supervisor with Child Protective Services (CPS), was also at the motel that night and testified that the room was in "chaos." She said she saw alcohol cans next to baby bottles, and that the Pack N Play was not properly assembled for a child to be in.

She said she learned CJ slept in the bed with his parents but was concerned about the parents using substances and sleeping around the child.

When initially questioned by authorities about why CJ tested positive for having cocaine in his system, Croxton and Coleman blamed an unnamed babysitter.

After they'd tested positive for having alcohol, cocaine, marijuana and kratom in their systems, Croxton said he used cocaine every hour to stay up all night.

While Croxton and Coleman were at the motel, CJ's condition was worsening at the hospital as he ultimately became brain dead.

Mesimer testified that this wasn't the first time there were reports of CJ being abused or neglected.

When he was six months old, Mesimer said CPS received a report that Croxton couldn't "tolerate him crying and being fussy." Croxton would allegedly put CJ in his car seat in the car, turn up the music, and walk away from the car until CJ calmed down.

CJ had sickle cell, something he needed to be treated for at least every two months. Mesimer said wasn't.

Mesimer said Croxton was not cooperative with CPS, and moved the family so it would be hard to find them. Because of this, Mesimer said the case was marked as incomplete.

CJ had tests done at VCU showing he had a Salmonella, which is carried in snakes. After the hospital was unable to get ahold of the parents to treat CJ, they called law enforcement. Croxton and Coleman eventually took CJ to the hospital, but when the hospital tried to treat CJ with an IV and antibiotics, Croxton and Coleman refused.

Coleman was later charged with disorderly conduct at a hospital on Dec. 5, 2023.

When CJ died, he had RSV, sickle cell disease, the flu and Salmonella. Croxton's attorney, Timothy Barbrow, said he could've very well died because of one of these diagnosis and not the cocaine. The medical examiner's report found CJ had cocaine in his urine, but not in his blood. The Commonwealth's Attorney argued that this was because the autopsy was done on Dec. 11, 2023, several days after CJ died.

Bertha Thompson, Croxton's mother and CJ's grandmother, testified that Croxton is "a good person, he just made a bad mistake."

"I know they love CJ," she said about Coleman and Croxton. "I love my son and I'm gonna stand by him no matter what."

Croxton told Judge Glover that he "loved [his] son dearly," and that the Commonwealth's Attorney got a lot wrong.

"None of these actions were accident," Judge Glover told Croxton. "It was a series of choices you made."

Judge Glover said CJ's living circumstances "inevitably" killed him.