AUTOPSY: BLOWS KILLED CHILD

Ruben Castaneda

Washington Post

Dontray Kevin Bradley, found beaten to death on his second birthday, died of massive blunt-force injuries to his abdomen, including a split liver, the D.C. medical examiner's office ruled yesterday.

Deputy Medical Examiner Carol McMahon ruled that there were at least five bruises on Dontray's back when he was found dead Wednesday morning in his aunt's Southeast Washington apartment. The bruises were consistent with the boy being beaten by someone's fist while lying on his stomach, McMahon ruled. The boy's abdomen had been compressed and his liver was split in two, causing internal bleeding, McMahon ruled.

Dontray had been taken from his mother by social workers six months ago and, along with two young siblings, placed under protective supervision with an aunt. The aunt's boyfriend, Reginald Napoleon Hunter, 27, was charged Wednesday with second-degree murder. Police said Hunter lived with the aunt in the 4200 block of Sixth Street SE.

In court records released yesterday by the U.S. attorney's office, an unidentified witness said that early Tuesday morning, Hunter told the witness that he had beaten Dontray because the boy had urinated on his feet.

"I just beat his ass. I might have hit him too hard, but he's all right," Hunter told the witness, according to the affidavit.

The witness examined Dontray, who was asleep, and noticed he had a bruise on his chin, one on his shoulder and tears on his face, according to the affidavit.

Later that morning, Hunter left the apartment for a court appearance, the affidavit said.

Early the next day, Wednesday, Hunter discovered a lifeless Dontray in a bedroom and brought the boy to the witness, who tried to administer CPR before calling 911, the affidavit said.