Washington – A Washington woman , Denaiya, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of her 14-year-old son, Demetrius. Authorities say the child was beaten to death after failing to follow the woman’s instructions.
The incident occurred after Demetrius had been visiting his mother for several months, though he was legally under the guardianship of his aunt. During the investigation, authorities in Washington discovered that the boy sustained over a thousand injuries and bruises all over his body after being beaten for nearly four hours.
The investigation began when a 911 call was made at the end of last month, reporting that a child was unresponsive. Upon arriving at the scene, authorities learned that the child had been beaten by his mother until he stopped breathing. The woman reportedly waited five minutes before calling 911 for medical assistance.
The parent reportedly told investigators that she became angry with her child because he didn’t complete his duties. She admitted to repeatedly hitting him with an electrical cord.
According to her statements, the victim complained of dizziness, but she continued to strike him, believing he was lying. “I just kept swinging the cable, I should have listened, but I kept saying you’re gonna stand up and do your chores, and he was like mom I’m dizzy, I can’t do it, and I thought he was faking,” the woman reportedly told investigators.
In addition to the fatal beating, the mother also confessed to having previously struck her son and even put her hands around his neck. The assault occurred while her husband and their children were present in the home.
Her husband reportedly knew about the beating but did not intervene, claiming it was not his place because the child was not his biological son. It is unclear if the husband will face any charges related to the child’s death.
