Tekquan Alexander, an aspiring rapper and nephew of an L.A. Rams cornerback, is facing multiple charges of felony assault on a child, aggravated mayhem, torture, and child endangerment for allegedly beating his 4-year-old daughter Alani Watts, according to court records. Last November, authorities arrested Alexander after being called to a Sherman Oaks, California home, where they reportedly found Alani suffering from “severe injuries caused by physical child abuse.”
In his latest TSR Investigates episode, Justin Carter met with the toddler’s mother, Keana Watts of Atlanta, Georgia, who spoke out for the first time about the allegations and revealed disturbing new details.
In September 2021, Watts agreed to let their daughter visit Alexander for three months in Los Angeles, where he had allegedly moved to pursue a rap career. She claimed that Alexander and Alani were staying in the Sherman Oaks home of his uncle, L.A. Rams cornerback Troy Hill.
Several weeks into the trip, Watts reportedly received an earth-shattering phone call. On the other line was a detective who informed her that Alani had sustained severe brain injuries and fractured ribs and required emergency surgery.
Alexander then sent Watts a text message and called her on FaceTime, she remembered. He claimed that their daughter had passed out while standing in timeout.
When I asked him was she okay, how she passed out, he really wasn’t answering it. Like, he was just shaking his head and covering his mouth.”
That’s when she hopped on the first flight to Los Angeles.
“She had a tube down her throat,” Watts remembered, thinking back to her daughter’s appearance in the hospital. “She didn’t have hair on the side of the head.”
A medical report obtained exclusively by The Shade Room revealed that part of Alani’s skull was removed to alleviate pressure caused by “extensive bleeding” on the right side of her brain. She also was unable to open her eyes for months.
As for what occurred on November 29, Watts said that, instead of Alexander being truthful, she “had to find out from a detective what really happened.”
According to a report from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, Alexander allegedly told investigators that he would punish the young girl for wetting the bed by abusing her. This included forcing her to perform rigorous exercises and hitting her with objects. On the day in question, Alexander reportedly made Alani do wall planks, among other exercises, then beat her with a belt and a speaker wire.
When he found his child was having seizure like symptoms and appeared to be losing consciousness, he put her in the bath in an effort to revive her,” read the report. “When that did not work, he called 911.”
Medical records show that Alani had also sustained deep bruises and puncture wounds throughout her body. When asked about these injuries, Alexander claimed he only learned of them that day and didn’t know what caused them, suggesting that she possibly was wounded while playing with a puppy.
“I was confused because I talked to Alani all the time when she was out there,” Watts explained. “I got pictures all the time from him.”
Though Watts has yet to hear back from Hill or any of the relatives she alleges live in the home where Alexander was arrested, a spokesperson for the NFL player told The Shade Room:
Mr. Hill is aware of the allegations against Mr. Alexander. Unfortunately, Mr. Hill was not present at the time of the incident nor was he the legal owner of the residence and has no personal knowledge of what transpired. Additionally, as a result of the ongoing investigation against Mr. Alexander, Mr. Hill has to refrain from further comment at this time.”
Nearly seven months later, Alani is still unable to open her eyes and bedridden in her Atlanta home, where she undergoes weekly therapy. But her mother remains hopeful of an eventual recovery. Watts has also created a GoFundMe campaign to help cover Alani’s growing medical bills. The campaign has raised $8,222, as of publication.
Since day one, they were telling me what she will be able to do and don’t do and she’s been showing opposite. Everybody say they miss Alani, she was the life of the party like her mom, but I know my baby’s gonna be whole again.”
Hit play to watch Justin hear from the devastated mother in her own words for his latest TSR Investigates below.
