Indiana Man Punches Girlfriend’s Child To Death, Mom Covers It Up; Couple Arrested

An Indiana couple was arrested Tuesday in connection with the murder of a three-year-old boy. The deceased child is the son of the woman accused in the case, police said.

Jermaine Garnes, 31, and Crystal Cox, 31, of Lafayette, face charges of neglect of a dependent resulting in death, aggravated battery and battery resulting in death to a person less than 14 years old, reported WISH-TV.

The Lafayette Police Department received a call around 8:48 a.m. on July 5 regarding a child who was not breathing, said court documents. Paramedics who rushed to the home declared the child, Zeus Cox, dead. They also found multiple bruises on the child's body.

When questioned, Cox said the bruises were the result of Zeus falling on concrete and running into a table a day before his death. On being asked whether the couple used a belt on the child, Garnes told police that though he had used a belt on Zeus’ bottom, the bruises was from falling off his bike a week before his death, said the prosecutors.

However, it came to light that Cox sent Garnes a message on June 29 saying they needed to buy a swimsuit for Zeus that hid his bruises, revealed the court documents.

During the investigation, Garnes' 9-year-old son also told police a different story. He said he called his father "a name," following which Garnes took out his anger on Zeus. He punched the child, knocking him down to the living floor. Cox was present when this happened.

An autopsy conducted on Aug. 10 revealed Zeus had died from blunt force trauma and the blow to the chest resulting in internal injuries, as per the court documents. The boy also had cuts on his kidney, small intestine ruptures, rib fractures and internal bleeding. The coroner determined the injuries were not accidental.

Investigators also found that Crystal Cox confided in a friend on the day of his death saying her boyfriend Garnes killed the child, adding she was going to get in trouble for covering it up.

Garnes also confided in a mentor saying he thinks he killed Zeus, the court documents stated.

Garnes has a prior conviction of assault or assault and battery in 2008, domestic battery in 2010 and public intoxication in 2013.