Indiana – An Indiana boyfriend has been charged with the murder of his girIfriend’s child, Agustus. The 32-year-old defendant, Brlce, faces additional charges of interference with the reporting of a crime for allegedly preventing the child’s mother, 23-year-old Hallie, from seeking medical help or contacting authorities following the incident.
Last week, officers responded to a 911 call reporting an unresponsive child at the family’s home. Upon arrival, they found the 5-year-old child unresponsive on his bedroom floor. The victim’s mom attempted to revive him by warming him with blankets and later placing him in a hot shower, but these efforts were unsuccessful. She eventually called 911, and the victim was transported to a local hospital before being airlifted to the University of Chicago Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead later that evening.
Investigators uncovered disturbing details about the events leading up to the victim’s death. The victim’s mom reported that the defendant had a history of physical, se-ual, and mental abuse towards her and exhibited jealousy when she showed affection to her son. The night before the incident, the defendant allegedly forced the victim to take a cold shower as punishment for being “disrespectful.” The victim’s mom claimed she found the victim crying and visibly shaken in the bathroom but did not intervene further. The following morning, the 5-year-old child was found unresponsive, leading to his tragic death.
During an interview with investigators, the child’s mom told authorities in Indiana that her boyfriend punished the boy for being disrespectful and forced him to take a cold shower. The defendant reportedly forced the child stand in the kitchen apologizing for about an hour while he was wet and shivering. Over the course of the night, the defendant hit the boy and forced him back into the cold shower, authorities said.
The victim’s mom found the boy cold and unresponsive on the floor of his bedroom the next morning and told authorities he rpartner took her phone, not allowing her to call 911 for another hour, according to the probable cause affidavit.
The Medical Examiner’s Office determined the child’s death was a homicide, caused by multiple injuries from assault, including bleeding on the brain. The victim’s mom told authorities that her boyfruend had been abusing her son for approximately six months and had been abusing her for about two months.
She mentioned that one of her boyfriend’s forms of punishment for the boy involved giving him hot sauce with cayenne pepper on a spoon. The woman also described her boyfriend as being jealous whenever she showed too much affection toward her son. Police reported that she admitted there were times she could have sought help for her son but didn’t due to fear.
Following the victim’s death, both the defendant and the victim’s mom were arrested and charged. The 32-year-old man is currently held in the county jail on a $1,000,005 cash-only bond and could face a 45 to 65-year sentence.. The 23-year-old woman was initially detained on a 48-hour hold and later formally charged with neglect of a dependent causing death. She is also held in the county jail, with bond set at $100,000, cash only.
The deaths of the 5-year-old child have profoundly affected the Indiana community, sparking conversations about child abuse and the responsibilities of caregivers. The case highlights the importance of protecting vulnerable children and ensuring that those who harm them are held accountable.
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the victim’s death. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Detective Sergeant Sopher at the MCPD.