Funeral arrangements set for 2-year-old Arkansas girl who died after being beaten

Our children are our greatest treasure, and we do everything to keep them safe.

That’s why the story of little Ava Ann Marie Tabor is so heartbreaking. She was a joyful and loving two-year-old whose life was taken in a terrible way.

Now, a 19-year-old man is in custody after reportedly confessing to hurting her.

Little Ava Ann Marie Tabor was born on November 28, 2022, in Texarkana, Texas. She was a bright and happy child who loved to dance and help in the kitchen. Her smile and sky-blue eyes filled every room with joy.

Her parents, Levi Landon James Tabor and Kylie Marie Perez, adored her more than anything. The family lived in De Queen, Arkansas, but in early March, their world was torn apart.

That day, 19-year-old Wesley Davis was babysitting Ava, but something went terribly wrong.

According to Sevier County Sheriff Robert Gentry, Davis was watching her at a home in Lockesburg, Arkansas, when he called for medical help after she became unresponsive.

He was later arrested after reportedly admitting to beating Ava.

Ava was rushed to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, but despite the doctors’ best efforts, she could not be saved. On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, Ava took her last breath, leaving behind a devastated family and community.

“Our last time holding our baby… After two years of putting you to bed, making your bottles, playing with you, taking you bye-bye, and listening to your little concerts in the car… I’ll never get to do that again. No more Ava kisses, no more hearing ‘momma c’mon,’ no more baby loves… WESLEY DAVIS, you took this from me. YOU TOOK MY WORLD. YOU TOOK EVERYTHING I LIVED FOR. I will not stop until you get what you deserve. I LOVE YOU, AVA ANN MARIE TABOR. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE MOMMY’S BABY. NEVER FORGOTTEN!” Ava’s mother, Kylie Perez, wrote on her Facebook page.

Wesley Davis was first charged with first-degree domestic battery, but after Ava passed away on March 4, the charge was changed to first-degree murder.

Last Thursday, Judge Bryan Chesshir set Davis’s bond at $1 million and ordered him not to contact the victim’s family.

Ava’s mother, Kylie Perez, described her daughter as a shining light.

“My baby did not deserve this. And he [Davis] deserves every bad thing that’s coming to him. And I will not stop until he gets it.”

Sheriff Robert Gentry said the case has deeply affected the community, with emotions running high after Ava’s tragic death.

“There have been death threats, and we have had threats of harm to Mr. Davis,” he said.

Authorities are now asking the public to let the legal system do its job, promising that justice will be served.

“She didn’t deserve what happened to her, and we are going to do our best to see that the judicial system takes care of the one that harmed her,” Sheriff Robert Gentry told KSLA.

In a final act of kindness, Ava’s family decided to donate her organs, giving others a chance at life.

Meanwhile, arrangements have been made to honor her memory. A funeral service for Ava Ann Marie Tabor will be held on Thursday, March 13, at 2 p.m. at Chandler Funeral Home in De Queen, Arkansas.

A visitation will take place the evening before, on Wednesday, March 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the same location.