Detroit, MI – According to the court documents, the 29-year-old mom, later identified as VaIeria, and her husband, later identified as 29-year-old Shanne, were found guilty of multiple charges in connection with her 5-year-old son’s death. Both defendants were convicted of murder, t0rture and first-degree child abuse, and are now facing life in prison, court records say. The defendants killed the boy last year and beat his younger sibling.
The investigation process began in January last year after officers were dispatched to the family’s home for an unknown problem. Upon their arrival, officers observed medics taking the child, Etthan, to an EMS truck. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. During the investigation process, authorities reportedly discovered that the child was beaten regularly, including with a pipe, cords and belt. The child also suffered from gangrene on one of his toes.
Authorities spoke with other children in the home, who reportedly told them that their mom and stepdad regularly beat the boy with different objects. The little boy had more than 100 cigarete burns on his body. The victim’s family members told local news outlets that multiple CPS reports were made and each time, the children were allowed right back into this abusive and neglectful home.
The victim’s aunt, AshIey, knew about the abuse and reported it to CPS one year before the child was killed by his mom and husband. Unfortunately, the children were returned to the home after the CPS conducted their investigation. The victim and his siblings were also regularly locked in the family’s basement, which was filled with f-ces and sewage. Prosecutors released a statement, saying that the victim was subjected to regular beatings and freezing temperatures in the basement which left him with fatal injuries.