A mother and her boyfriend were arrested and charged in connection with the death of her 3-year-old son, authorities say. According to the court documents, the little boy died of internal bleeding after being viciously beaten by the boyfriend. Her 3-year-old son was found dead on his bedroom floor on the morning of July 5. The 31-year-old mother told authorities that his bruise-covered body was the result of him falling down on concrete and accidentally running into a table the previous day. Her 31-year-old boyfriend said that the child was bruised because he fell off of his bike about a week prior to his death.
Both suspects said that the child had a fever and was vomiting the night before his death. Authorities in Indiana performed an autopsy and determined that the boy’s fever and vomiting were the result of internal injuries sustained to the toddler’s kidneys and intestines. Prosecutors say the cause of death was blunt force trauma and that the bruises on the child’s body were inflicted recently and were not caused by falling on concrete or being struck with a belt.
Hours after the boy’s death, the mother, Crystal Cox, told one of her friends that her boyfriend, Jermaine Garnes, was responsible for killing the toddler and said she was concerned that she was going to ‘get in trouble for helping him cover up the crime.’
Garnes’ 9-year-old son told police that after he insulted his father by calling him a name and the man took out his anger on the 3-year-old boy, Zeus, by punching him in the chest. His 9-year-old son said that Cox was in the room when Garnes struck Zeus.
Cox and Garnes on Monday were both charged with murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, aggravated battery and battery resulting in death of a person younger than 14. Both suspects are being held without bond.