An Arizona woman and her boyfriend are accused of killing the woman’s 2-year-old son after he was found beaten to death, police said.
Leilah Lopez, 20, and Johnny Brazell II, 20, were charged with first-degree murder and child abuse after the discovery.
Glendale Police Department officials responded to their residence on Tuesday after receiving a call from Brazell about a child not breathing. Brazell, who claimed to be the boy’s stepfather, alleged that a dog attacked the boy and caused a gash on his head.
When officers arrived, they found numerous bruises across the boy’s body, including swollen and bruised eyes, a bruised head and skull fractures. The boy also had no pulse.
“Upon further questioning and investigation, Brazell admitted to killing the child,” police said. “Brazell indicated he had hit the child multiple times with a leather belt while dangling him in the air by his leg.”
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“At one point, Brazell admitted to dropping him on his head onto a hardwood floor and swinging the child’s body into objects within the room, striking his head against some furniture,” the statement added.
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The couple was booked into jail after their arrests. They are being held on $1 million cash-only bonds.