Damari Perry case: Horrifying details released about boy's last day, mom and brother charged with murder
NORTH CHICAGO, Illinois - Little Damari Perry was "punished" and killed in late December, then dumped in Gary, Indiana, prosecutors said Sunday.
Damari Perry, 6, was found dead in an abandoned building this weekend, and now his mother, brother and another sibling are charged in connection with his death.
Brother Jeremiah Perry was in court on Sunday morning, where prosecutors laid out the little boy's terrible last day on Earth.
They said that on December 29, Damari did something his mom for which his mom thought he should be punished. The child was put in cold water in a bathtub or shower in their home in North Chicago, and eventually started vomiting and passed out. He was taken out of the cold water; no one called 911 and he died.
Prosecutors said that Jeremiah Perry and mother Jannie Perry talked about disposing of the body, and they decided to dump him in Gary.
Damari Perry was reported missing on January 5, and at the time, his mom offered up an elaborate story about the boy being taken on a playdate with his 16-year-old sister, a woman named "Monique" and a man named "Wacko/Chaos." Police said there is no sign that any of this happened.
Jannie M. Perry, 38, is charged with first-degree murder, concealment of a homicidal death, and obstructing justice. Jeremiah R. Perry, 20, is charged with aggravated battery causing bodily harm to a child under 12, concealing a homicidal death, and obstructing justice.
Jeremiah Perry is already on probation for possession of a weapon with a firearm owner ID card. His bond was set at $3 million.
Police said Jannie Perry was taken to the hospital Saturday after complaining that she was ill. She is under police custody at a local hospital and was not in court on Sunday.
Jannie Perry will go to bond court after she has been medically discharged from the hospital, police said.
A minor sibling has also been arrested and is in juvenile jail.