Prosecutors: Damari Perry, 6, Was Being 'Punished' When He Died; Mother, 2 Siblings Charged In His Death
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Prosecutors now say Damari Perry, the 6-year-old boy who was found dead in Gary, Indiana, this weekend, died because he was being "punished."
They say the child did something that angered the family. Prosecutors say the next day the 6-year-old was placed in a cold shower until he started vomiting and later died.
Damari's mother, Jannie Perry, his 20-year-old brother, Jeremiah Perry, and a juvenile sibling are all facing charges in his death.
According to prosecutors, Damari did something on Dec. 29 that upset his mother. On Dec. 30 he was placed in that shower until he died. Then mom Jannie Perry and brother Jeremiah allegedly came up with a plan to dump his body in Gary before coming up with the fake story of how he went missing in Skokie before reporting him missing this week.
Saturday night friends, neighbors and family gathered outside the home where he lived.
Neighbors of the Perry family say this was an instance where the system let down Damari Perry.
"They were beating the baby, not feeding him, locking him in the room," said Farris Adams, whose family is neighbors of the Perry family.
He said his sister knew they were beating the boy.
"The little boys snuck out of the room, and he had urinated on himself, and [the brother] punched him on his chest real hard," he said.
Jannie Perry was supposed to be in court Sunday, but that was pushed back due to a request by the North Chicago Police Department.
A fundraiser to help Damari's father lay him to rest has raised more than $5,000.