4-year-old sent to ‘boot camp’ for ‘sneaking candy’ is beaten, whipped to death by godfather who had ‘full permission’ to discipline child: Police – Image for illustrative purposes only (Image credits: Unsplash)
Aurora, Colorado – A 24-year-old man now faces first-degree murder charges after authorities say he beat his 4-year-old godson to death during an intense disciplinary session the child’s mother had arranged. The boy had been left in the man’s care for what was described as a “boot camp” to address repeated behavioral problems, including sneaking candy. Officers responded to an apartment on East Tennessee Avenue late Saturday after the child stopped breathing and found extensive injuries across his body.
What Happened That Night
Patrol officers arrived at the residence around 10 p.m. and immediately noticed the boy had suffered severe trauma. Emergency crews transported him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Investigators later recovered a belt with a broken prong on the kitchen counter near papers showing the child had been forced to practice writing numbers.
The suspect told police the boy was staying with him because he was “on punishment for being bad, disruptive and not listening.” He admitted the heaviest discipline occurred that Saturday, when he struck the child at least 21 times with the belt on bare skin. The boy eventually fell asleep on the living room couch but was unresponsive when checked later.
The Mother’s Role and Permission
According to investigators, the boy’s mother dropped him off intentionally so the suspect could run the boot camp. She described him as being like a brother and said she gave full permission to use the same methods she employed at home. Those methods included belt whippings, spankings, push-ups, planks and wall sits…