Inset: Isaiah Jones (Monroe County District Attorney's Office). Background: The apartment complex where Isaiah suffered fatal injuries in Rochester, N.Y. (Google Maps).
A mother and her romantic partner are behind bars in upstate New York after "prolonged" child abuse led to the death of the woman's 2-year-old son, Empire State law enforcement says.
India Duncan, 25, and Joshua Velez, 30, both stand accused of one count of second-degree murder, according to the Rochester Police Department and Monroe County District Attorney's Office.
In the underlying incident, Isaiah Jones was found injured and unresponsive at an apartment complex on Dewey Avenue in Rochester on Sunday, May 10. He was rushed to Rochester General Hospital by firefighters and paramedics. He died eight days later.
"At that point, our special victims unit responded down to the hospital and to the address on Dewey Avenue," Rochester Police Captain Frank Umbrino told Rochester-based ABC and The CW affiliate WHAM. "So right away, something didn't look right with this child."
Hospital staff noted the presence of multiple bruises, bite marks, and other "concerning injuries" on the child, according to a criminal complaint obtained by local NBC affiliate WHEC.
The Monroe County Medical Examiner's Office performed an autopsy and ruled the child's death a homicide caused by non-accidental blunt-force injuries to the head, according to law enforcement. The child also suffered non-accidental trauma to his body, police said.
"These were horrific injuries," Umbrino continued in comments to the TV station. "These were really, really, really bad."
The ensuing investigation determined the couple were responsible for the child's injuries – including the bite marks. The head trauma was so brutal that Isaiah's brain began to bleed, according to the complaint.
The alleged abuse occurred on May 8-10, police said. The complaint is largely conclusory, however, simply saying the pair "recklessly engaged in conduct" that ultimately caused his death. Duncan and Velez also allegedly delayed getting Isaiah medical treatment.
The victim was in the care of his mother at the time the "prolonged physical abuse" transpired, according to the charging document.
The defendants were asked to account for what happened to the boy. But investigators found the narrative unconvincing.
"We're not going to get too much into it, but their story was crap," the police captain added. "They didn't really give us anything truthful or to refute any of any of the allegations and the charges that they're facing now."
Law enforcement bristled at the notion of a specific motive.
"Some people just should not have children," Umbrino said. "No, there is no explanation as to why somebody would do something like this to a child. It's terrible. It's heartbreaking."
The investigation took months and involved multiple agencies, police said. The defendants lived together in the apartment complex and U.S. Marshals arrested them this week after charges were filed.
In a statement provided to local media, Monroe County suggested the details made public about the case may remain limited.
"While New York State law limits the information we can release publicly at this time, those limitations do not lessen the pain, grief, and sadness our community is feeling as a result of this terrible tragedy," the statement reads. "We share the public's concern and the community's demand for accountability and transparency."
Both defendants are being detained in the Monroe County Jail without bail. They are slated to appear in court on Aug. 10.
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