Funeral services for Ja'van Tyrell Duley, 18 months, of 992 Hammock St., Orangeburg, will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 20, 2010, at St. Paul Baptist Church in Orangeburg, with the Rev. Charcey N. Priester officiating. The body will be placed in the church one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in Heavenly Rest Memorial Park in Cordova.

Ja'van Duley was born Feb. 5, 2009, in Orangeburg. He was the son of Shaquan Renee Duley. He entered into eternal rest on Monday, Aug. 16.

Ja'van was an adorable little boy who loved to play with his brother, Devean, and his big sister, Saniya. Ja'van was an active, inquisitive toddler who loved to eat cream of wheat, pizza, hotdogs and Teddy Grahams. He was a joy to his family and friends.

He leaves to cherish fond memories his mother, Shaquan Renee Duley of Orangeburg; one sister, Saniya Lanee' Duley of Orangeburg; maternal grandparents, Authur and Helen B. Duley of Orangeburg; three aunts, Adriane Y. Duley of Orangeburg, L'Ketra Johnson and Afthan Timmons-Johnson, both of Florence; one uncle, Roderick Johnson of Florence; five cousins, Jordan L. Jones and Joshua L. Jones of Orangeburg, Savannah R. Johnson, Seth R. Johnson and Ke'Laya D. Thomas, all of Florence; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Friends may call at the residence of his grandmother, Helen Duley, 992 Hammock St., Orangeburg, or Simmons Funeral Home of Orangeburg.

Visitation will be held from noon to 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19. Online condolences may be sent to www.simmonsfuneralhome.com.







A South Carolina sheriff says he hopes a judge will approve a murder warrant against a woman whose two toddler sons were found dead in her car submerged in a river.

Orangeburg County Sheriff Larry Williams said Shaquan Duley's story of a car accident didn't make sense. Investigators worked through the night to try to "disprove some of the things she was alleging," he said today on CBS' "The Early Show."

Williams said he's prepared to go to court this this morning to present the case.

"Hopefully upon that presentation of our facts of probable cause that we present to him this morning or her, they will issue a warrant for murder," Williams said on CBS.

The bodies of her sons Devean C. Duley, 2, and 18-month-old Ja'van T. Duley were recovered, strapped into their car seats, from the North Edisto River by divers on Monday.
Duley, 29, was being held on a charge of leaving the scene of an accident and is due in court this morning.

"From personally responding to the location where the alleged accident occurred, I found no physical evidence to support what she had reported -- leaving the road and going into a boat ramp where the children were found," Williams said on CBS. "So because of a lack of evidence in her statement ... I found there are some issues that would need to be unraveled."


*************August 17, 2010******************

Orangeburg County Sheriff Larry Williams said Tuesday a mother, 29-year-old Shaquan Duley, intentionally suffocated her children, then put them in the Edisto River early Monday morning.

Williams made the revelation at a 10 a.m. news conference Tuesday, where he said he believes that the woman was upset and wanted to get rid of her children, and that's what led to the deaths. Related link: County Mourns Loss of Little Children

Shaquan Duley is now facing two charges of murder in the death of 18-month-old Ja'Van Duley and 2-year-old Devean Duley. Previous Coverage: Sheriff Seeking Murder Charges | Children Found Dead in River

The children's bodies were found in a vehicle in the Edisto River just off Shillings Bridge Road before 7 a.m. Monday.

She told investigators at first that she had an accident, and that's why the car was in the water.

However, Williams said the woman suffocated the children at the Trumps Inn in Orangeburg, where she's checked in the night before the deaths. Williams said she admitted killing them by placing her hand over their mouths. She then drove them to the Shillings Bridge Location, and that the children were dead when they were put in the water. Related Coverage: Motel Owner Says Shaquan Duley Seemed 'Nervous'

The children were still in their child seats when they were found. Orangeburg County Coroner Samuetta Marshall says there were signs of a struggle on the older child.

It's unclear, investigators say, if Shaquan Duley chose the location in advance.

"I believe she was angry, upset, and for some reason found Shillings Bridge Road and was looking for a place to discard the bodies," Williams said.

Williams says Shaquan Duley was unemployed and not financially stable and lived with her mother. According to Williams, Shaquan's mother was a "firm individual."

Williams said at this point, it appears the woman killed the children because she was 'fed up' with the responsibility of motherhood and wanted to 'be free.'

"She lived at mom's house, probably ate her mom's food... she had very little control. in her thoughts, except her children," Williams said. "I think she truly felt, 'If I don't have these two toddlers, I can be free.'"

Williams said Shaquan and her mother often clashed over how to raise the children.

"She often talked with her daughter about being more of a mother, about being more reliable," Williams said.

The night before the kids were placed in the river, there was a dispute between the mother and grandmother, and he feels that was the act that let to the killings.

Williams said the investigation has had an emotional impact on his officers and the community.

"They were two innocent little folk who were no harm to anyone and were taken away," Williams said.

According to Williams, Shaquan has a five-year-old child. That child is still living with a family member.

The father of the two victims has not been found.

She is scheduled for a court appearance Wednesday afternoon. She will eventually undergo a mental evaluation.