By Victor Omondi
A child’s mother and stepmother have been charged in the horrific death of a 9-year-old Indiana boy on Saturday.
According to police report, Elijah Thomas Ross from Fort Wayne was beaten to death by his 30-year-old stepmother, Alesha Lynn Miller.
FOX 55 and WANE 15 reports that a probable cause affidavit published Wednesday revealed that the boy’s mother, Jenna Mae Miller, 36, told detectives that Alesha had “repeatedly” struck her son with a wooden paddle while he cried “Please stop” on the night the boy died.
Jenna is also Alesha’s spouse.
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Alesha was arrested on four charges on Tuesday: aggravated violence with death, neglect of a dependent with death, and two instances of neglect of a dependent.
Jenna was also arrested and charged with neglect of a dependent resulting in death, neglect of a dependent by neglecting to offer medical aid, and two charges of neglect of a dependent, FOX 55 reports.
The Millers claimed in an affidavit that they were at a Christmas party on Friday night when they received a phone notifying them that Elijah had been forced against a bookcase during a quarrel with his siblings.
According to the affidavit, Jenna alleged that when she walked upstairs in their Fort Wayne home, she discovered Elijah was not breathing and had vomited. The affidavit further claims that Elijah was “cold and limp” when he and his mother arrived at the hospital on Saturday morning, where he was pronounced dead just after 2 a.m.
Doctors said the youngster had “multiple bruises” on his arms, face, and shoulders, as well as “major” bruising on his lower back and rear end.
Source: 9-Year-Old Indiana Boy Beaten to Death, Mom and Stepmother Charged
