Authorities on Tuesday identified the 2-year-old Minneapolis boy who died three weeks ago from what police suspect was parental abuse.
Ona'Je Prince Sincere Jackson died May 4 at HCMC, according to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office.
Navonna L. West, 25, remains jailed in lieu of $50,000 bail after being charged in Hennepin County District Court with two felony counts of malicious punishment in connection with injuries suffered by her 4-month-old son. She's due back in court on June 8.
The charges also implicate West in the death of her 2-year-old son; police have classified the case as a homicide.
According to the criminal complaint and police:
Officers called to the home in the 2400 block of S. Oakland Avenue late in the afternoon of May 4 arrived to find West performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Ona'Je. He died early that evening at HCMC.
The officers saw fresh bruises and scratches on the 2-year-old. An autopsy detected "blunt force injuries in various stages of healing," the charges read.
The Medical Examiner's Office said it suspects the death was caused by blows to his body. It's waiting for toxicology results in order to rule out any other cause.
A hospital examination of the 4-month-old boy revealed bruising on his torso, genital injuries, chemical burns near his navel, possible burns on his back, blood in his right eye, scarring on his nose and pigmentation loss on each side of his head.
The baby also had suffered broken ribs and had fluid in his abdomen. A test disclosed that he had been exposed to fentanyl, a powerful opioid.
Questioned after her arrest, West "attempted to deny or minimize the injuries to her children," according to the charges. After being told of Ona'Je's death, West "claimed the injuries were from them being sick," the charges read.
