Prosecutors accused a mother and her boyfriend of horrifically torturing her 6-year-old child before he died of his injuries in Detroit.
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald in charging documents said 25-year-old Elaina Rose Jennings and her 32-year-old boyfriend Daniel John Giacchina stapled her boy to a wall and shot him with a BB gun several times.
‘We have spent over 100 hours reviewing extremely disturbing videos and photos, as well as text messages and Facebook chats describing the horrific things that happened to this 6-year-old boy.’
The disturbing abuse was discovered after firefighters and police were called July 30 to the couple’s residence at a mobile home community.
The mother called police to report that her son, Giovanny “Chulo” Jennings, wasn’t breathing, but emergency personnel found injuries all over the unconscious boy’s body. The child was rushed to a children’s hospital where he was pronounced dead just before midnight the same day.
Police arrested Giacchina on a slew of charges, including gun charges and lying to a police officer. The mother also was charged with lying to an officer.
After a medical examination of the child’s body, prosecutors filed additional charges against the couple.
“He died from blunt force trauma to his abdomen and a perforated bowel after a lengthy period of confinement and abuse,” said McDonald.
She went on to say that autopsy photos showed numerous bruises and wounds to the child’s body.
“Chulo had pervasive bruising to his abdomen, which was also bloated and distended,” McDonald continued. “He had an apparent BB wound to his shin. First responders and emergency room personnel noted extensive external injuries as well.”
The couple was charged with murder and first-degree child abuse after the results of the autopsy. The charges are punishable by life in prison.
“We have spent over 100 hours reviewing extremely disturbing videos and photos, as well as text messages and Facebook chats describing the horrific things that happened to this 6-year-old boy,” McDonald added.
Prosecutors said the victim’s younger siblings witnessed horrendous beatings the boy suffered. The couple was charged with lying to police after they attempted to blame the child’s biological father for the abuse — an assertion that the findings of the investigation contradicted.
You can view a video report from WDIV-TV here; it includes photos of the boy and the accused couple.
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