Josh Wilson

A Westland mother and father have been charged in the death of their 3-month-old child. Josh Wilson and his girlfriend Kelli Worth went before a judge Friday charged with murder and first degree child abuse. Police say baby Joshua died at… the hands of his own parents and never had a chance. “Shock. Disbelief. They wouldn’t do this in a million years,” said Sheliah Vansickle, the baby’s aunt. Family members said both parents are mentally ill. Vansickle said Child Protective Services has been involved with the family since the child’s birth. “They made sure they knew how to change the baby, care for the baby, feed the baby and they would come to the home to investigate once a month,” said Vansickle. However, neighbors in Westland tell a different story. “I asked Josh if I could hold the baby. He tossed it to me,” said neighbor Chelsea Reed. “And he throws that baby into the air.”   Neighbor Stephanie Gibson says she was not surprised Wednesday evening when Worth ran to her door for help. “She said, ‘My baby isn’t breathing.’ I ran out with no shoes and me and my fiance started CPR,” said Gibson. Police say the infant had been severely beaten. He was taken to University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. He was bruised from head to toe with several broken bones. Investigators say Joshua died from blunt force trauma to his chest. “His dad deserves to rot in prison. How can you kill a 3-month-old baby?” said Gibson. Neighbors say they are planning a vigil for this weekend.

Dashawn Harris

 

A five-year-old boy has been beaten to death  and his mother and her boyfriend arrested for murder, authorities said.

Dashawn Harris was discovered by police in  the early hours of Saturday, his body covered with bruises, cigarette burns and  belt marks.

The child’s mother Lashay Patterson, 23, and  her 25-year-old boyfriend Christian Patrick were charged with murder in  Philadelphia a few hours later.

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Beaten and bruised: Dashawn Harris, five was found dead at his home in Philadelphia covered in cigarette burns and belt marksBeaten and bruised: Dashawn Harris, five was found dead  at his home in Philadelphia covered in cigarette burns and belt marks

Murder charge: Lashay Patterson (right) and her boyfriend Christian Patrick were arrested a few hours after the child had died
Murder charge: Lashay Patterson (right) and her boyfriend Christian Patrick were arrested a few hours after the child had died

Murder charge: Lashay Patterson (right) and her  boyfriend Christian Patrick were arrested a few hours after the child had  died

According to family who live nearby, Patrick  became angry with the child while he was teaching him to read during a home  schooling session and beat Dashawn with a belt and hairdryer.

Relatives said they believed Dashawn’s  three-year-old brother Daqwon was also abused. Daqwon is now in the custody of  his father.

 

Grace Fitch,   Dashawn’s paternal grandmother, toldABC:  ‘I can’t believe she did that. Shay was  just the  sweetest person you could meet and when she got with this guy she just  started getting distant.’

She said her son was unaware of how his young  sons were being treated. Patrick was known to police and had a history of drugs,  according to philly.com.

The Philadelphia Department of Human Services  refused to comment on the incident or say if there was an open case involving  the family.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2242262/Dashawn-Harris-dead-Philadelphia-beaten-death-mother.html#ixzz2E8FoHhf2 Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Seven-year-old Roderick

 

A seven-year-old boy has been beaten to death  by his stepfather and mother for not reading his Bible, authorities said.

Markiece Palmer, 34, and Dina Palmer, 27,  were charged with murder last week along with other counts of child abuse and  neglect.

Roderick Arrington, seven, was taken to  University Medical Center in Las Vegas last Thursday unconscious and with brain  swelling. He died the following day.

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Beaten to death for not reading the Bible: Roderick Arrington, seven, was covered in bruises and open wounds when he was brought unconscious to hospital in Las Vegas where he later diedBeaten to death for not reading the Bible: Roderick  Arrington, seven, was covered in bruises and open wounds when he was brought  unconscious to hospital in Las Vegas where he later died

 

Second-grader Roderick recently moved to Las  Vegas from Illinois, where he had been living with his father and  grandmother.

Markiece Palmer told police he had spanked  the child for lying about reading a Bible verse and failing to finish his  homework. He said the boy then slipped and hit his head.

The arrest report details extensive injuries,  including bruising over Roderick’s whole body and open wounds on his buttocks,  allegedly from being beaten with a belt. The police report also revealed that  Roderick was violently shaken by his stepfather.

When the little boy was unresponsive last  week, Dina Palmer called her pastor who advised her to dial 911.

Facing murder charges: The boy's stepfather Markiece Palmer, 34, and his mother Dina Palmer, 27, admitted repeated beating the boy with a belt and paddle Facing murder charges: The boy’s stepfather Markiece  Palmer, 34, and his mother Dina Palmer, 27, admitted repeated beating the boy  with a belt and paddle

Tragic: Seven-year-old Roderick died in hospital after being admitted with brain swelling and covered in bruises
Tragic: Seven-year-old Roderick died in hospital after being admitted with brain swelling and covered in bruises

Tragic: Seven-year-old Roderick died in hospital after  being admitted with brain swelling and covered in bruises

Dina Palmer told police that she had  repeatedly hit her son with a paddle and belt last month, what she described as  ‘whoopins’.

The couple admitted to police that they had  regularly beaten the child for not reading the Bible or finishing his homework.

The couple are being held without bail at the  Clark County Detention Center and are due in court today.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2242818/Mother-stepfather-beat-boy-7-death-reading-Bible.html#ixzz2E8F7xoxJ Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook