Falicia Blakely is an infamous criminal who was convicted of killing three men when she was just 19 years old. Her shocking story of murder and exotic dancing was depicted in the 2017 TVOne movie ‘When Love Kills: The Falicia Blakely Story’.
Many viewers were curious about Blakely’s family, especially her young daughter who was just a toddler when her mother was arrested.
In this blog post, we will explore everything there is to know about Falicia Blakely’s daughter today.
Where Is Falicia Blakely Daughter Now?
In the 2017 movie about Falicia Blakely’s life story, she was depicted as having both a young son and daughter. However, in reality, Blakely only has her son Man who was born in 2000.
There is no evidence that Blakely actually has a daughter, despite the movie portrayal. The movie appears to have taken some creative liberties by inventing a daughter character.
Some online articles have speculated about whether Blakely eventually had a daughter later on in prison, or perhaps gave birth to a secret love child before her incarceration. But these rumors are unsubstantiated.
In all of her own interviews and statements, Blakely has only ever referenced having her one child – her beloved son who was 2 years old when she was arrested back in 2002. There have been no official confirmations about Blakely birthing or adopting any other children.
A Tragic Upbringing
Falicia Blakely had a difficult childhood marred by poverty, neglect and abuse. She was born in 1988 in Jacksonville, Florida to a drug dealer father who was frequently incarcerated.
Her mother worked as an exotic dancer and encouraged the young Falicia to follow in her footsteps. At just 16, Blakely started exotic dancing in strip clubs to make ends meet.
It was in this seedy underworld that Blakely would meet her boyfriend Dino, who manipulated the troubled teenager into a life of crime.
Dino persuaded Blakely and her friend Ameshia Ervin to carry out armed robberies and even commit murder at his behest. Blakely claims she was under Dino’s spell and control.
A Baby Born Into Chaos
Right after moving to Atlanta to pursue her exotic dancing career, Falicia Blakely’ became pregnant with her first child. She continued dancing at strip clubs even while visibly pregnant. Her son “Man” was born in 2000 when Blakely was just 12 years old.
Raising an infant as a young single mother proved incredibly difficult for Blakely. She had to work long hours dancing in order to provide for her child. Man was just 2 years old when Blakely was arrested for triple homicide in 2002.
The Crimes That Shocked Atlanta
In 2002, Falicia Blakely and Ervin were arrested for the murders of Claudell Christmas (35) and Raymond Goodwin (34). They had been caught driving one of the victim’s cars shortly after the killings.
In custody, they admitted to a third murder – that of Demetrius Twitty – just 12 hours after he witnessed the infamous Atlanta nightclub shooting involving NFL star Ray Lewis.
Blakely confessed she had been the shooter in one of the murders. She insisted she had been coerced by her abusive pimp boyfriend Dino, claiming she lived in fear of him. Nonetheless, she was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences without parole for her role in the three killings.
A Lifetime Apart
With his mother sentenced to life behind bars, baby Man was taken in by Falicia Blakely’s family. He was raised by grandparents, aunts and uncles in Jacksonville. Blakely felt it was important that her son understand why she was in prison.
She worked with author Sereniti Hall to publish the book ‘A Treacherous Hustle’ chronicling her life story. This gave Man the opportunity to learn about his mother’s past and the circumstances that led to her incarceration.
According to Blakely, her teenage son is a talented soccer player with a bright future ahead of him. She is thankful he has been able to have a normal, happy childhood despite her absence. Man knows all the details about his mom’s criminal history but Blakely says he is not judgemental toward her.
Mother and Son Maintain A Close Bond
Despite the physical distance between them, Blakely and her son have managed to stay close. According to Blakely, they speak on the phone regularly and she offers him motherly advice and guidance. Her greatest wish is for Man to grow up to be a good man with a successful career.
Man occasionally visits his mom in prison in Georgia when he can. During visits, guards allow them to hug and spend some precious time together catching up. For his 16th birthday, Man brought Blakely sweet potato pie – her favorite! Their unbreakable bond has survived the test of time.
Blakely feels blessed that her son does not resent or blame her for missing out on raising him. He accepts she made terrible mistakes when she was an impressionable teenager under the control of an abusive man. Man chooses to focus on the sweet, caring mother he knows, not the convicted murderer label she bears.
Hoping For Freedom Someday
Blakely continues to serve her lifetime prison sentence at DeKalb County Jail in Georgia. She will not be eligible for parole until 2034, when she will be 46 years old.
Blakely dreams of tasting freedom again someday. She spends her days behind bars mentoring younger female inmates and trying to improve herself through prayer and studying.
If granted parole, her top priority would be spending time with her now-adult son and any grandchildren she may have by then.
Though Blakely knows she can never get back the years lost with her child, she hopes they will be able to share many more years together in the future outside of prison walls.
Until then, she cherishes their visits and phone calls, forming happy memories despite the sad circumstances.
A Cautionary Tale
Falicia Blakely’s story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of the exotic dancing world and how it can exploit young, vulnerable women. Blakely laments the poor choices she made under the influence of older men like her pimp boyfriend Dino.
However, Blakely’s story also reflects the incredible resilience of the human spirit. Despite growing up with nothing and no one to guide her, she has found purpose and redemption during her prison sentence. Blakely is determined to emerge an even stronger woman, mentor and mother.
Her greatest accomplishment is breaking the cycle of poverty, crime and dysfunction. Her son has been blessed with security, love and support – everything his mother lacked as a child.
While Falicia Blakely may spend the rest of her days incarcerated, she finds peace knowing her beloved son is thriving in the free world thanks to her sacrifice.
