6-year-old found unresponsive in hot bath dies, officials say. Mom and fiance charged
Two people have been arrested in Maryland after officials say a 6-year-old boy died as a result of child abuse.
Jalesia Offer and Brandon Wheatley, both 34, are charged with child abuse resulting in death, among other charges.
Attorney information for Offer and Wheatley was not available in court records.
Officials said Offer and Wheatley are responsible for the death of Offer’s 6-year-old son, Brian Graham. The medical examiner ruled Brian’s death a homicide caused by blunt force trauma, the Baltimore Police Department said in a Facebook post.
Around 11:30 p.m. Aug. 21, Brian was found unresponsive, officials said. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
According to court records, Offer told investigators she was cooking when Wheatley, her fiance, took Brian into the bathroom to take a shower. Some time later, Offer walked past the bathroom and noticed that Wheatley was “slumped over” and Brian was unresponsive in a tub of hot water, according to WJZ.
Offer woke Wheatley up, and the two pulled Brian out of the water and called 911, WMAR reported.
Wheatley later told officials that he has a medical condition that causes him to fall asleep when he sits down, according to WJZ.
“This is just an extremely tragic and sad story,” Baltimore police detective Nikki Fennoy told WMAR.
Brian suffered from severe burns and bruising, court records said, according to the Baltimore Banner. Testing done later showed that the hot water at the home reached temperatures of 128 degrees within a three-minute period.
Offer told investigators she disciplined Brian by punching and slapping him earlier that week and said Wheatley disciplined the child after that.
Brian suffered from multiple fractured ribs, a lacerated liver and internal bleeding in his head and torso, the medical examiner’s office said, WMAR reported.
Wheatley and Offer are also charged with child abuse and assault, court records show. The two are being held with no bond and are due back in court Aug. 26 for a bond review.
This story was originally published August 25, 2024 at 4:26 PM with the headline "6-year-old found unresponsive in hot bath dies, officials say. Mom and fiance charged."
