A Brooklyn man was indicted on murder charges after allegedly causing the death of his girlfriend's 4-year-old son through repeated abuse, prosecutors said.
Jerimiah Johnson was arraigned in Brooklyn Supreme Court Wednesday afternoon, facing two counts of second-degree murder, one count of first-degree manslaughter and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said.
According to the investigation, the 27-year-old Johnson woke the mother of young Jayce Eubanks up around 5:30 a.m. on Sept. 12 at her home in the Gowanus Houses. Johnson was holding the child in his arms, and told the mother that Jayce was not breathing.
Jayce's mother saw he was was foaming at the mouth and his stomach was hard and swollen. He was rushed to Brooklyn Hospital Center, and pronounced dead less than two hours later.
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An autopsy performed by the medical examiner found that Jayce had suffered several injuries, old and new, including multiple bruises and abrasions to his arms, legs, back, and chest, according to Gonzalez. The medical examiner also found a healing skull fracture, bite marks on both ears, multiple healing and recent fractures to his ribs — and injuries the stomach that were so bad, there were holes in it, leading to internal bleeding.
"The autopsy of this helpless child revealed that he suffered unthinkable abuse in his short life and ultimately died, allegedly at the hands of this defendant, who we will now seek to hold accountable," said DA Gonzalez.
The cause of death was determined to be battered child syndrome, with recent injuries to the child's torso.
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Johnson, who could face 25 years to life in prison if convicted on the murder charge alone, was ordered held without bail. The East New York resident is next scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 18.
