Police now say the child was murdered through long-term physical abuse allegedly at the hands of his godmother, 22-year-old Nadera Batson and her 23-year-old boyfriend, Marcus King. They believe King, a 6' 8", 225-pound man, kicked and punched the little boy over a period of time.
Police believe the couple used a blowtorch to burn the little boy on various parts of his body.
"The little boy took all the pain that he could," said Philadelphia Police Captain James Clark, "until he couldn't take it any more and he succumbed to his injuries. As a result of the investigation by the homicide unit, we have arrested and charged Nadera Batson and Marcus King."
It was back on June 29th when police were summoned to the 4200 block of Chestnut Street for a report of a child falling through a window. When they arrived, Jaquinn Brewton's godmother claimed the child had fallen down the stairs. The child remained in a coma until he was taken off life support two weeks later.
The medical examiner ruled the case a homicide, saying the child's injuries were inconsistent with a fall. Police would later uncover the horrific details of alleged abuse the child suffered since his mother placed him in the care of his godmother and her boyfriend.
"During the next three months the three-year-old suffered daily abuse from the godmother and her boyfriend," said Clark, abuse which allegedly involved "numerous assaults to the body, through kicks, through fists, and through some sort of unidentifed object. Also, numerous burns to his legs, feet and buttocks from a blowtorch that the family had."
Authorities say the mentally challenged 3 year old died a horrific death in the couple's 4th floor apartment in the 4700 block of Chestnut Street that was essentially, a torture chamber. "It's very sad, I mean I have 22 years with the police department, one of the saddest cases that I've seen," said Captain Clark. "We saw the pictures of the little boy, and it's heart-breaking."The boy's mother, who has six children, placed the boy in the care of his godmother after she landed in a homeless shelter.
But Police say putting the child in the care of 22 year old Nadera Batson and her 23 year old boyfriend, Marcus King would turn out to be a devastating mistake that would cost the child his life.
"The little boy took all the pain that he could until he couldn't take it anymore and succumb to his injuries," Captain Clark said. Both the godmother, Nadera Batson and her boyfriend, Marcus King were taken into custody on Friday, and are behind bars. They face a number of charges including murder, and other related offenses.