Sentenced: Man Charged With Abuse After 4YO's Death In Dundalk

[Sugar Cookie]

Baltimore County Police have charged 26-year-old Zurail Smith with several counts of child abuse following the death of 4-year-old Amir James.

On May 5, Amir was found unresponsive inside a home in Dundalk. Amir was then transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

In charging papers, police wrote that Smith “would be the only one capable of inflicting” injuries that forensic pathologists said led to Amir’s death due to “numerous injuries” to his skull. The injuries “likely occurred within hours or days of his death” and “could not have been caused by another child or by falling off a couch,” police wrote.

Both Amir and his twin brother, neither of whom are related to Smith but were cared for by him, had been living at the Dundalk residence for several months, police wrote in charging papers.

Smith called 911 that day and told authorities that Amir had fallen off the couch and hit his chin on a wrestling championship belt before becoming unconscious. His twin brother was also found injured, police wrote, noting that both boys had “numerous cuts and bruises all over their extremities and bodies” as well as swelling and bruising on their faces.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled Amir’s death as a homicide, finding that bleeding in his brain was caused by injuries to his skull. Smith told police that he occasionally wrestled with the twins and “choke-slammed” them, though he said he hadn’t done so in the past several days and would have them place their hands behind their neck so that they wouldn’t hurt themselves.

MSN

www.msn.com

 

[Sugar Cookie]

His right eye wants no parts of his pathetic ass.

 

[Busy Bee]

OH, Please! Another child who “fell off the couch” ! Perhaps if the couch was 30 feet tall? Poor children, one beaten to death, the other was on his way, with bruises all over his body!

 

[agm8478]

Couches are deadly weapons….

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Title:​

State of Maryland vs. ZURAIL B. SMITH

Charge Description:

Child Abuse-1st Deg: Death<13

Disposition: Guilty

Sentence: 30 Years

Charge Description:

Child Abuse 1st Deg:Severe Phys Inj

Consecutive

Disposition: Guilty

Sentence: 5 Years

Followed By 5 Years of Probation