Lafayette couple charged with murder of woman’s 3-year-old son
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WISH) — A man and women living together in Lafayette have been charged with the murder of the woman’s 3-year-old son.
Jermaine Garnes, 31, and Crystal Cox, 31, are also facing charges of neglect of a dependent resulting in death, aggravated battery and battery resulting in death to a person less than 14 years old.
The Lafayette Police Department received a call around 8:48 a.m. July 5 regarding a child who was not breathing, according to court documents. Emergency medical services responded first and declared 3-year-old Zeus Cox dead. When officers arrived at Garnes and Cox’s apartment, they were taken to a bedroom where Zeus was lying on the floor with bruises on multiple areas of his body.
Court documents also mention a text message from Garnes to Cox on June 29 in which he said they need to get Zeus a swim shirt to cover up the bruises.
Cox told investigators no one ever used a belt on Zeus and the bruises came from him falling on the concrete and running into a table. Garnes acknowledged he had used a belt on Zeus’ bottom but attributed the bruises to Zeus falling off a bike and falling down.
An Aug. 10 autopsy determined Zeus died of multiple blunt force trauma injuries, including cuts on his kidney, small intestine ruptures, rib fractures and internal bleeding. The coroner found the injuries were not accidental.
Garnes was convicted of assault or assault and battery in 2008, domestic battery in 2010 and public intoxication in 2013.
