MOTHER, TEEN-AGE SON ARE CHARGED IN DEATH OF FOSTER CHILD, 2
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
A teen-ager has been charged with murder and his mother faces a felony charge of cruelty to a child in connection with the death last summer of a 2-year-old boy who was in foster care in Venice, the Illinois State Police said Saturday.
The victim was Demartez Bolling. He was dead on arrival June 10 at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Granite City.On Thursday, the Madison County grand jury indicted Darwin Newby, 17, formerly of Venice, on a charge of first-degree murder. His mother, Adelle Newby, 37, was charged with two counts of cruelty against a child. Demartez lived with the Newbys in Venice.
The indictments were suppressed until after Darwin Newby was arrested Friday in Forrest City, Ark., where he had been living.
A spokeswoman for the St. Francis County sheriff's office in Forrest City said Newby had signed papers saying he would not fight transfer to Illinois.
Adelle Newby was arrested Friday in Venice and was being held in the Madison County Jail in Edwardsville.
Lt. Wayne Watson, acting district commander of the state police office in Collinsville, said Demartez had died of "massive internal injuries," but declined to be specific on what Darwin Newby is alleged to have done to the child. Watson said Darwin Newby was with Demartez in the Newby residence when the boy was injured.
Watson said Adelle Newby was away from the home at the time. He said the charges against her concern other alleged offenses against the same child.
After Demartez died, authorities removed two other foster children and Adelle Newby's three younger children.