CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) -
A South Side man was charged Monday with the Saturday beating death of a 2-year-old girl.
Devell
M. Johnson, 23, of the 5500 block of South Emerald Avenue was charged
with one count of first-degree murder and is scheduled to appear in
court for a bond hearing Tuesday, Cook County State's Attorney's office
spokeswoman Tandra Simonton said.
Johnson is accused of killing
his long-time girlfriend's daughter, Armaney Cotton, who was found with
bite and scratch marks at his Johnson's home on Saturday, police and
family members said.
Police responded Saturday to a call of an
unresponsive child in bed, News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli said.
Armaney, of the 1800 block of East 72nd Street, was pronounced dead at
4:42 p.m. that day, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner's
office, which determined she died of multiple injuries from a beating
and ruled her death a homicide.
Armaney's mother, Brittany
Cotton, and other relatives said the little girl suffered nearly 20
bruises and scratches on her face, arms and chest, as well as at least
two bites.
Relatives said they were told by Chicago police the bites appeared to be human.
"This
was someone I loved and trusted to protect her, not harm her," Brittany
Cotton said. "I don't understand why this happened to her."
Cotton said she left her daughter in his care several times before without any problems.
She
had no hint anything was wrong until she picked up a voice mail message
Saturday afternoon, with her friend telling her Armaney was taken to
the hospital after he was unable to wake the toddler.
Cotton was
devastated when she saw the extent of the injuries suffered -- and
convinced they couldn't have been inflicted by an accidental fall.
"Babies fall all the time. They don't get cuts and bruises and bites," Cotton said. "She did not fall."
Cotton, who lives with her mother, said she may have to seek donations to pay for her daughter's funeral expenses.
The
state's Department of Children and Family Services is investigating,
spokesman Kendall Marlowe said. The agency has not had prior contact
with the family and there are no other children in the home.
