When child was killed, his stepfather was already under investigation by DCF

At the time that detectives say Ethan Thompson’s stepfather abused him resulting in the 22-month-old’s death, there was an active child protective investigation into allegations that he was back in the home despite a court order prohibiting him to be, according to Florida Department of Children and Families records.

Allegations concerning Montez McNeal being back in the family’s home had been reported to DCF on Nov. 1, an incident report states. The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Child Protective Investigative Division handles all child welfare investigations for DCF in Manatee County, and a DCF incident report said the active investigation had “found no evidence to support that Mr. McNeal was back in the home.”

“When the investigator responded to the home, all family members denied the allegations and noted that Mr. McNeal was not residing in the home,” Lisa Rivera, with DCF, wrote in the incident report. “As a result, present danger was not identified.”

But when Ethan died Nov. 15 — McNeal was back in the home.

McNeal is currently charged with aggravated child abuse, but the sheriff’s office says he could still face additional charges as the investigation remains ongoing. He is being held at the Manatee County jail on a $250,000 bond.

Thus far, the investigation has revealed that Ethan’s mother left the toddler and his brothers — ages 6 months, 3, 4, 11 and 12 — home with McNeal on the night of Nov. 14 while she went to work. She received a call from her eldest son asking her to come home because Ethan didn’t look well, but by the time she arrived an off-duty fireman, who lived across the street, was performing CPR on Ethan.

After paramedics and deputies arrived on scene, Ethan was rushed to Manatee Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead after midnight.

The boy’s injuries when he died included seven broken ribs at different stages of healing, a skull fracture at the crown of his head and bruising and a cut on his penis. All five of his brothers have been taken into protective custody and placed in foster care since his death.

Ethan was last been seen by a case management worker from Safe Children’s Coalition less than a week before his death Nov. 9 during an unannounced home visit.

“During the visit, (redacted name) indicated that Ethan has not been feeling well that day, however, no concerns were noted,” Rivera wrote.

Additional records have not been released because the investigation remains ongoing, according to DCF, and no homicide or manslaughter charges have filed.

Before Ethan’s death, CPID had investigated allegations of abuse involving Ethan or his siblings five times, including the open case involving McNeal being in the home. All six boys had been removed before and reunited within the past year.

Details were redacted regarding investigations in 2008, 2009 and 2011, however an investigation in 2015 involved allegations that both an unidentified person and McNeal — who had a history of violence — had been abusing Ethan. References to allegations that NcNeal beat someone and yelled loudly were also redacted.

“Both she and Mr. McNeal denied causing injury to Ethan which included an unexplained burn on his neck and linear mark across his chest,” Rivera cited regarding prior involvement with the family.

This story was originally published November 22, 2016 at 7:16 PM with the headline "When child was killed, his stepfather was already under investigation by DCF."