Just over a week before jury selection is scheduled to begin in the capital murder trial of the person accused of the beating death of a 20-month-old child, 20th District Judge John W. Youngblood raised the bond for Shawn Vincent Boniello, now known as Shayla Angelina Boniello, to $3 million.

Jury selection was set to begin next Thursday in the trial of Shayla Angelina Boniello who was known as Shawn when she was arrested in the December 2018 murder.

According to court documents, Boniello gave a statement about beating 20-month-old Patricia Ann Rader to death.

Rader’s family had claimed Boniello had beaten the child other times while she was under her watch.

Boniello was indicted on a charge of capital murder in December 2018.

The prosecution is seeking the death penalty in the case.

Family members of the victim said that Boniello had been in a relationship with a relative but that the family had no idea at first that he was a man in transition.

Boniello was in transition at the time and when arrested as a man had requested to be placed in segregation in the jail for fear of harassment.

Boniello was initially charged with abandoning or endangering a child after the child was found unresponsive at an address in Rockdale.

Rockdale Fire and EMS personnel tried to revive the child but were unsuccessful.