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Damari Perry murder: Mother, brother officially charged with 6-year-old's death
Charges have been officially filed against the mother and brother of 6-year-old Damari Perry, who was murdered in December.
GARY, Ind. - The Lake County State's Attorney's Office filed a 19-count indictment Wednesday against Damari Perry's mother and brother, charging both with first-degree murder in the 6-year-old's death.
Prosecutors said they filed the murder charges in a way that allows them to seek natural-life sentences against 38-year-old Jannie Perry, Damari's mother, and 20-year-old Jeremiah Perry, Damari's brother.
A Lake County Grand Jury jointly indicted Jannie and Jeremiah Perry on eight counts of murder and additional counts of aggravated battery of a child, dismembering a human body, conspiracy, aggravated domestic battery, concealment of a homicidal death, endangering the life or health of a child and abuse of a corpse.
MORE: Damari Perry murder: Mom accused of killing 6-year-old son held on $5M bond
Jannie and Jeremiah were also charged with obstructing justice.
Jannie Perry was also indicted on one count of failure to report the death or disappearance of a child under 13 years of age.
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Damari Perry murder: Mother accused of killing 6-year-old son makes court appearance
A North Chicago mother accused of killing her 6-year-old son, Damari Perry, and disposing of his body in an abandoned alley in Gary, Indiana is being held on $5 million bond.
Prosecutors said that evidence shows Jannie and Jeremiah Perry formulated and enacted a plan to severely punish Damari through prolonged exposure in a cold shower.
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The grand jury found evidence that the murder was "exceptionally brutal and heinous," which allows prosecutors to seek natural-life sentences on the murder charges for Jannie and Jeremiah.
Prosecutors also said the family burned Damari's remains after his death, which means they may seek up to 60 years in prison for the dismembering charge alone.
MORE: Damari Perry murder: 6-year-old boy's official cause of death released
"As prosecutors considered the crime scene where Damari died, it became clear that this was a calculated plan against a small child. Damari’s final minutes warrant the sentencing enhancements that accompany such ‘brutal and heinous’ circumstances. The defendants’ stunning failure to seek medical attention demonstrates their intent to end Damari’s life. Transporting and burning the body as part of a cover up also warranted the additional serious charges we filed today," said Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart.
Jannie and Jeremiah Perry are due in court on Feb. 7 to be arraigned on the charges.
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Coroner: 6-year-old Damari Perry died of hypothermia
An autopsy released by the Lake County Coroner's Office Tuesday revealed the official cause of death of 6-year-old Damari Perry.