Canal Drowning – Not Guilty Plea
Last updated 8/27/2015 at 3:47pm
Heinrich Paul Boykins, 56, the man accused of contributing to the death of Annie Lee Palmer the Ohio 7-year-old who drowned in a Coachella Valley canal, has pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter, child abuse, and two counts of driving under the influence.
Palmer's body was found in the Coachella Canal on July 30, two days after she went missing.
Boykins, Palmer's step-grandfather, was expected to attend a pre-trial hearing Monday, and a preliminary hearing on Aug. 17.
"Annie Lee Palmer disappeared while swimming on Tuesday in Slab City, California on vacation visiting her grandma, it was a (misfortunate) accident and she was swept away by a strong current. Her body was found 15 miles away. We are trying to raise $1,750 to bring her body back to Ohio and then the remaining to help bury her. She touched so many lives in the time she was here and was loved by so many please help bring our baby back." states a go-fund-me page created by Jessica Williams on July. 29.
Boykins is being held on $175,000 bail at the Imperial County Sheriff's Office jail in El Centro.
