SERVING THE PARISHES OF EAST FELICIANA AND WEST FELICIANA
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T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
Leila Pitchford AROUND THE FELICIANAS
Volunteers needed for West Feliciana Animal Humane Society Friends The West Feliciana Animal Humane Society Friends has issued a “final plea for volunteers” on Facebook. The group said, “If we do not get people on our rotation, we will have to make some serious and difficult decisions, and very soon.” The post continued, “We are losing another volunteer to health issues, and we literally do not have physical bodies to maintain the shelter as we know it. Please help!” The animal rescue needs people 18 or older who can work a 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. shift Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Saturday. Message the group at www.facebook.com/ groups/350585578354122 to volunteer.
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W e d n e s d ay, M ay 20, 2026
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DA wants new judges in rape case BY AIDAN MCCAHILL
Staff writer
West Feliciana Parish District Attorney Sam D’Aquilla has filed a motion to recuse two judges involved in an increasingly tangled case against a St. Francisville man charged with sexually assaulting his 13-year-old daughter. The father and alleged victim continue to live with each other after a judge removed a “no contact order in April — a move D’Aquilla has called “infuriating.” “I’ve never seen anything like this before,” he said. D’Aquilla says he was not noti-
fied of the decision to grant the suspect custody of his children, and has repeatedly called the move a clear violation of state law. On May 11, he filed a motion to reinstate the protective order. The case is rooted in a bitter custody battle between the alleged victim’s parents over their three children, one that has since spilled into the public sphere. On Thursday, D’Aquilla filed another motion to recuse the only two judges in the 20th judicial district, where the case is taking place — one presiding over the criminal case, the other over the custody battle. If granted, D’Aquilla said
the Louisiana Supreme Court would likely appoint an Ad Hoc judge to preside over the criminal case, in what will probably be a bench trial. He also filed a motion to prohibit those involved from speaking publicly about the case, after Cy D’Aquila, the father’s attorney and a distant relative of the DA, posted a five-minute video about the case on Facebook, which has garnered over 50,000 views. “I don’t think it’s proper for him to get on social media and try this case,” D’Aquilla said. “We have a very young victim. All her schoolmates see that.”
The victim’s mother says her daughter ran away from her father in October 2025 and, shortly after, began disclosing possible sexual abuse. By December, she says the girl had told a medical professional she had been raped. Court records say that medical examinations indicated possible sexual activity. On March 6, following multiple forensic interviews conducted by the Children’s Advocacy Center and the West Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office, the father was arrested on one count each
ä See CASE, page 3G
Hospital seeks information West Feliciana Hospital is conducting a Community Health Needs Assessment. Visit feedback.wfph.org/jfe/ form/SV_881bgKKpPvHTsnY to fill it out. Participation helps influence healthcare services, address critical needs, identify pressing health issues and areas where improvements are necessary, and enhance community wellbeing.
Extension Office to hold Master Gardener Class The East Feliciana Parish Extension office in Clinton will hold a Master Gardener Class beginning Aug. 12. The class meet on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to noon and will conclude Nov. 18. The course fee is $200. Classes will be held at the East Feliciana Parish Extension Office, 4419 Idlewild Road, Clinton. The application is available at www.lsuagcenter. com/FelicianaMG or contact County Agent Jessie Hoover at jhoover@agcenter.lsu.edu or (225) 683-3101. Applications are due to Hoover by June 26. The Louisiana Master Gardener Program is a volunteer development program offered by the LSU AgCenter. Master Gardener volunteers are highly trained and provide proven, research-based educational programs to Louisiana residents. Participants in the Master Gardener class receive 40-plus hours of horticulture training in topics such as botany, plant propagation, entomology, plant pathology, weed science, soils, pesticide safety, lawn care, vegetables, fruits, herbaceous plants and more. Upon successful completion of the training and volunteering for 40 hours, participants will become Certified Louisiana Master Gardeners.
West Feliciana summer activities scheduled West Feliciana Parks and Recreation is hosting summer basketball camps for ages 5-12. Registration deadline is May 31. Cost is $75. Preseason practice runs June 8-26, and games are June 29-July 31. West Feliciana Summer Camps run May 26-July 24 for ages 6-11. Cost is $175 a week.
ä See AROUND, page 2G
PHOTOS BY SONYA GOSS
Thomas Carter Jr. and Zoë Swan receive scholarships from the Yermon and Annie Pearl Moore Memorial Scholarship during the Commencement Program on May 15.
Slaughter Community Charter graduates Class of 2026 Community news report
Slaughter Community Charter School’s Class of 2026 graduation was on May 15. The class included 58 graduates. Six straight-A students were tied for valedictorian and salutatorian. The two students with the highest ACT scores were named valedictorian and salutatorian. Jackson Easley was recognized for making a 35 on his ACT Test and being chosen as class valedictorian. Assistant Principal Peggy Reno gave the welcoming address to the faculty, staff, graduates and attendees. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited by Daniel Sauls. Slaughter Community Charter School junior Braeden Howell gave a message to the graduates from the Class of 2027.
The Pledge of Allegiance recited by Daniel Sauls during the Slaughter Community Charter School graduation.
INSIDE Honors graduate Malachi Wyre receives his high school diploma.
ä More photos. Page 2G ä List of graduates. Page 2G
Clinton teen dies after SUV overturns BY OLIVIA TEES
Staff writer
A 16-year-old was killed and another teen critically injured when an SUV went off the road and overturned Friday evening on La. 958 in East Feliciana Par-
ish, State Police say. Murphy Andes, 16, of Clinton, was the front-seat passenger in a 1997 Toyota 4Runner that was northbound on La. 958 about 5:40 p.m., according to State Police. When the vehicle came to a left curve south of La. 959, it
traveled off the road to the right. When the driver tried to overcorrect, the vehicle rotated and overturned, according to troopers. Andes was pronounced dead at the scene, State Police said. The driver, another 16-year-old from Clinton, sustained serious
injuries and was transported to a hospital. Both teens were properly restrained at the time of the accident. Impairment is not suspected, but routine toxicology samples will be examined, State Police said.