Woman faces charges in death of her son, 3
Exactly a month after her 3-year-old son was pronounced dead, a west Houston woman is wanted by police on charges of failing to aid her son.
Jasmine Jones, 21, faces a warrant for her arrest on two charges of serious bodily injury to a child by omission.
Jaycion Jones’ body showed evidence of extensive physical abuse in the month since he had been returned to Jasmine Jones from CPS custody, investigators said at a news conference.
Jones lost custody of Jaycion in early 2015 after he was brought to Texas Children’s Hospital with second-degree burns to his chest, investigators said. The adult caring for him said he had gotten into a shower and turned on the hot water. Child Protective Services transferred custody of the toddler to a relative. Jones won back custody in October.
Paramedics responded Nov. 8 to the family’s Briarcrest-area apartment where Jones lived with her boyfriend, her toddler from a previous relationship, her baby with her boyfriend, and her boyfriend’s adult brother, according to court documents.
Paramedics found the toddler, Jaycion, unresponsive. He was transported to a Katy hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said in a news release.
An autopsy ruled Jaycion’s death a homicide resulting from peritonitis, an infection of the lining of the abdomen, that was caused by blunt force trauma to the child’s buttocks and torso, where he had deep bruising and many cuts.
The injuries were so ex- tensive that the autopsy took two days, investigators said at the news conference.
“It’s probably one of the worst cases that I’ve seen,” homicide detective Chris Hassig said.
The medical examiner said the child “may have been treatable if proper medical attention had (been) timely administered,” according to the criminal complaint, which offered this account:
The mother’s boyfriend, Andre Young, told investigators he spanked Jaycion with his hand and a belt. She said Young would pull the toddler into the bathroom, close the door and spank him there.
The weekend of Nov. 5, Jasmine Jones said she noticed markings on his bottom and applied cream to help them heal. Then she left him with Young while she worked on Sunday, Nov. 6, and then Monday.
Jaycion complained of a stomachache Monday and started throwing up that evening, Jones told police.
Young found Jaycion unresponsive in his bed on Tuesday morning, Nov. 8.
Jones was charged Nov. 18 with two felony counts of causing serious bodily injury to a child by failing to provide adequate supervision.
HPD spokesman Victor Senties said police expect to file more charges in the case, and possibly higherlevel charges.
The 10-month-old baby of Jones and Young has been taken into CPS custody, investigators said.