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A man used a blue cloth belt with a metal buckle to thrash his 9-year-old daughter to death earlier this year at a house in Fort Worth, police alleged on Tuesday as they arrested him on suspicion of capital murder.<\/p>\n
Joanna Shoulder<\/a> received the beating as discipline for wetting her bed, according to a homicide detective\u2019s account of his interview of the girl\u2019s father described in an arrest warrant affidavit.<\/p>\n The beating left at least 30 bruises on Joanna\u2019s torso, and a belt pattern was present among the injuries, according to the assessment of a pathologist described in the affidavit.<\/p>\n The father, Marquise Anderson, said Joanna wet the bed on two occasions on a night in February at the house in the 1900 block of Daniel Street.<\/p>\n Anderson, 35, said that after the second incident he physically disciplined Joanna and had her take a bath and \u201csoak\u201d for a while to get the urine off of her, Fort Worth Police Department Detective Jeremy Balders wrote in the affidavit.<\/p>\n Anderson\u2019s timeline had the bath lasting for about three hours.<\/p>\n Anderson initially described the events surrounding Joanna\u2019s collapse in a bathroom but did not mention hitting her with a belt, according to the affidavit.<\/p>\n After additional questioning, Anderson said he struck Joanna approximately five to six times with his hand on her buttocks, Detective Balders wrote.<\/p>\n Anderson then said he struck Joanna about six to seven times with a blue cloth belt because Joanna smirked at him, and he believed the discipline was not effective.<\/p>\n The little girl died early on the morning of Feb. 8 in the emergency room at Cook Children\u2019s Medical Center, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner\u2019s Office. A pathologist documented extensive blunt force trauma throughout Joanna\u2019s body.<\/p>\n Many of the injuries displayed rectangular, band-like and patterned characteristics consistent with impact from a belt-like object, Detective Balders wrote.<\/p>\n The pathologist documented extensive bruising and hemorrhage involving Joanna\u2019s abdomen, flanks, back, buttocks, thighs and lower extremities, according to the affidavit.<\/p>\n The autopsy revealed blunt force injuries to Joanna\u2019s head and neck.<\/p>\n The pathologist concluded that Joanna died as a result of blunt force injuries and that her death was a homicide.<\/p>\n In an obituary, Joanna\u2019s relatives described her as \u201ca beacon of light in this world\u201d and \u201ca funny, loving, talented, and compassionate soul.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHer laughter echoed through our home, her love filled our hearts, and her talent was a glimpse of a bright future that was not meant to be,\u201d the obituary states. \u201cDespite her tender age, she showed a remarkable compassion that was beyond her years, always sharing, always caring. Her dream was to become an astronaut, a testament to her boundless curiosity and adventurous spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n This story was originally published June 24, 2026 at 3:49 PM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fort Worth Star-Telegram<\/p>\n Joanna Shoulder died in February 2026 at age 9. Family photo via TruCare Funeral Services obituary <\/p>\n
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