The mother and stepmother of a 9-year-old Indiana boy were charged in connection with his violent death.
Elijah Thomas Ross, of Fort Wayne, was repeatedly beaten with a wooden paddle by stepmom Alesha Lynn Miller, 30, according to a probable cause affidavit released Wednesday according to WANE.
Jenna Mae Miller, 36, the victim’s mom and Alesha’s spouse, told cops that Elijah had screamed “please stop” as she “continuously kept whooping the victim,” the report said.
The boy’s brothers told cops his stepmother, who the children called “dad,” “went hard” on Elijah and would often “slam him to the ground” and “whoop him with the paddle,” causing him to “ball up.”
One boy reportedly told investigators that he was fighting with Elijah on the night of his death and texted his parents that the 9-year-old was pretending to vomit. Alesha instructed the boy to “beat him up” and make him sit in the corner before she returned and fatally beat him, the affidavit said, according to the station.
Alesha was charged with deadly battery and neglect and Jenna also faced multiple fatal neglect charges after she allegedly failed to intervene or offer her son medical aid, the station said.
The Millers initially told cops that Elijah had been shoved into a bookcase by his siblings, according to the outlet.