Mother, boyfriend charged with killing Bradenton boy, 4

MANATEE -- The mother of a dead Bradenton 4-year-old boy and the woman's live-in boyfriend were charged Thursday with killing the child, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

Dianna Marr, 32, was arrested early Thursday evening on a charge of aggravated manslaughter.

Marr's boyfriend, Trevor Cardarelle, 25, who was arrested on a probation violation after Alexander was found dead, also was charged with manslaughter. Earlier, he also was charged with raping another child he knew.

Marr and Cardarelle are being held without bond at the Manatee County jail. They are scheduled to make their first court appearances on Friday.

Investigators say Alexander died after he was beaten about the head and torso, leaving him with a fractured skull, brain trauma and lacerated liver. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene April 12 after deputies answered a call about an unresponsive child.

The death had been ruled a homicide, but no one had been charged until Thursday.

Also charged in the case was Marr's mother, Karla Kay Gray, 53, on a charge of failure to report child abuse. She was released from jail after posting $1,500 bond.

Cardarelle lived with Marr and Alexander in a duplex in the 700 block of 59th Avenue Terrace West.

Cardarelle originally was arrested on a charge of being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition, also a violation of his probation for grand theft.

Wednesday evening, investigators charged Cardarelle with capital sexual battery after journal entries written by the young rape victim were found. She wrote about being afraid and called Cardarelle a monster. The girl confirmed she had written the journal entries and revealed he had raped her once, according to Cardarelle's latest arrest report.

Cardarelle denied the allegations, according to the report.

Cardarelle was scheduled to make a first appearance before a judge Thursday afternoon but he refused to appear. Circuit Judge Peter Dubensky said he could not find probable cause for the arrest because the affidavit was missing key pieces of information, such as the child's age.

Assistant State Attorney Cynthia Evers said she knew the child's age and she would have the document amended. Dubensky ordered the

hearing continued until Friday to determine probable cause, and said perhaps Cardarelle would choose to appear.

The sheriff's office said Gray was aware of punishments Alexander received at the hands of Marr and Cardarelle such as forcing the boy to hold dumbbells and drink hot sauce.

Neither the Florida Department of Children and Families nor Manatee County Sheriff's Office Child Protection Investigation Unit have had prior involvement with the mother, boyfriend or her children, according to officials.

Jessica De Leon, Herald law enforcement reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7049. You can follow her on Twitter @JDeLeon1012.

This story was originally published April 24, 2015 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Mother, boyfriend charged with killing Bradenton boy, 4."