Law | National

A grandmother speaks in court: 'You beat him to death'

Thursday, July 26, 2018

Grandmother’s pleas to the court

By Richie Richards
Native Sun News Today Correspondent
nativesunnews.today

RAPID CITY – During the victim’s impact statements made during the sentencing hearing for Katrina Pauline Shangreaux, Kylen’s paternal grandmother, Patty Shangreaux, read the following prepared statement to the court:

“First of all, I would like to say Kylen Shangreaux was a beautiful little boy. He was our precious grandson. He was so loved in our home. I remember him running into the house, especially when his papa (Richard Shangreaux) was home. He would come running and saying ‘Papa’s house! Papa’s house!’ He loved being at our home. He loved his grandfather so much. He would run into his papa’s arms.

“I used to sit with Kylen at the computer and we would listen to music. Once he found out about the ABC videos, the computer was pretty much his. He took over.

“Kylen loved the most – Angie (Shangreaux). She became his everything. She adored him. I wish you could see all the happy videos and pictures that Angie has of him and her boys and Ben. Angie’s boys loved Kylen. He’s there little brother, he became their precious boy.

“This was all taken away by your Katrina! The day you murdered your own flesh and blood was the most shocking, sickening day of our entire lives. It was so hard to comprehend. I thought ‘No! Kylen will come back.’ The panic sets in. It can’t be real. No. No. No.

Kylen T. Shangreaux enjoys Easter egg hunting. Photo courtesy Angela Shangreaux

“Then reality set in, when we had to go to the funeral home to make arrangements for his burial. I met with the funeral director and he told me that Kylen’s body was in too bad of shape to be fixed up and that we should have a closed casket. I told the funeral director that I wasn’t going to go through this whole ordeal seeing my grandson’s body.

“The day I was able to see Kylen’s body, the shock of seeing his body sent an enormous, crippling effect through my body. I kept saying, ‘Oh my God! Oh my God!’ I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I held his hand. I didn’t want to leave him. He did not look like Kylen. He was so battered; even his hands were bruised.

“When Angie saw Kylen, she collapsed to the floor. She had a very hard time keeping any kind of composure.

“What you did to Kylen, Katrina, was pure evil; evil in its worst form. There were many people that came to the funeral home to see his body that day. I couldn’t stop them and after a while, I didn’t try. There were many, many tears and shock. They all saw what a horrible crime you committed.

“I don’t know if you saw pictures of Kylen after you beat him to death, but I hope you did so you could see what a horrendous thing you did. You affected the lives of your children; little Patricia, Taten, Dominic and Xavier. They have to grow up without their mama. They have face a lot of pain.”