That’s why the story of little Ava Ann Marie Tabor is so heartbreaking. A joyful, loving two-year-old, her life was taken in the most horrific way.
Now, a 19-year-old man is in custody — after reportedly confessing to beating her.
Was babysitting Ava
Little Ava Ann Marie Tabor, born on November 28, 2022, in Texarkana, Texas, was a bright and joyful two-year-old. She loved to dance, help in the kitchen, and filled every room with her radiant smile and sky-blue eyes.
Her parents, Levi Landon James Tabor and Kylie Marie Perez, adored her more than anything. The family built their life in De Queen, Arkansas — but in early March, their world was shattered.
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 taken into custody after reportedly confessing to beating Ava.
Mom’s emotional farewell
Ava was rushed to Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, but despite the doctors’ best efforts, her young life could not be saved. On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, Ava took her final breath, leaving behind a grief-stricken family and community.
“Our very last time holding our baby… After two years of putting you to bed, making your bottles, playing with you, waking you up, taking you bye-bye, and listening to your mini 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’s passing on March 4, the charge was elevated to first-degree murder.
Last Thursday, the Judge Bryan Chesshir set Davis’s bond at $1 million and issued a no-contact order preventing him from reaching the victim’s family.
Ava’s mother, Kylie Perez, described her daughter as a radiant 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.”
There have been death threats
Sheriff Robert Gentry acknowledged the deep impact this case has had on the community, with emotions running high in the wake of Ava’s tragic death.
“There have been death threats, and we have had threats of bodily injuries and harm to Mr. Davis,” he said.Authorities are now urging the public to let the legal system take its course, emphasizing that justice will be served through the courts.
“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,” Sevier County Sheriff Robert Gentry told KSLA.
In a final act of kindness, Ava’s family chose to donate her organs, giving others a chance at life.
Meanwhile, KSLA reports that arrangements have been made to honor the little girl’s memory. A funeral service for Ava Ann Marie Tabor will take place on Thursday, March 13, at 2 p.m. at Chandler Funeral Home in De Queen, Arkansas.
A visitation will be held the evening before, on Wednesday, March 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the same location.