A mother and her boyfriend were charged this week
in connection to the death of a 3-year-old boy.
Court documents reveal disturbing new details about an alleged attack that left Zeus Cox dead.
Police and medics say they found him unresponsive, lying on the bedroom floor inside the home. They also noticed bruises all over his body, covering his stomach and chest.
Police on Tuesday arrested Jermaine Garnes and Crystal Cox, both 31 years old, at their Howell Street home.
The couple was arraigned Wednesday on charges of murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death, aggravated battery and battery resulting in death of a person less than 14 years old.
Magistrate Sarah Wyatt entered a no contact order blocking the couple from seeing Garnes' 9-year-old son.
They are being held at the jail without bond. Jury trials are scheduled for December 21st.
Crystal Cox said she lived at the Howell Street home for about a month with her son, Zeus Cox, as well Garnes and his son, according to a probable cause affidavit accompanying the charges
The couple told police the boy bruised himself after falling into a table and falling off his bike. They also told police he vomited several times the night of July 4th and they woke up to find him dead.
But Garnes' son told police a different story: That he called his father a name and Garnes "took his anger out on Zeus," according to the affidavit, which summarizes his forensic interview with detectives.
Prosecutors say Cox also texted Garnes June 29 to get Zeus Cox a swim shirt "so no one can see the bruises," according to a summary of the text message in the affidavit.
An autopsy found lacerations of the kidney, small intestine ruptures, rib fractures and internal bleeding. A medical examiner determined the blunt force trauma likely caused the boy's fever and vomiting.
A man described as a mentor to Garnes told police Garnes frantically arrived at his house on July 5 for an emergency.
When the man asked if Garnes killed the child, Garnes replied he thought he did and described beating the child with a belt, according to an account of the conversation in the affidavit.
A man told police the Garnes had a drinking problem.
Crystal Cox allegedly admitted to the man's wife that Garnes killed the boy and she was "going to get in trouble for covering it up," according to an account of the conversation in the affidavit.
Court records show Crystal Cox was convicted of neglect of a dependent in Clinton County in 2013.
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