Grandfather, woman charged in beating death of 5-year-old girl in Park Forest
Warning: The following story contains details some may find disturbing.
PARK FOREST, Ill. (CBS) – Prosecutors said a south suburban grandfather admitted to abusing his granddaughter for months, eventually killing the 5-year-old. He was in court on Monday alongside his wife. Both were denied bond.
The girl was found dead over the weekend in a home in Park Forest. CBS 2 Investigator Megan Hickey had the tragic update from the courtroom—a warning: some of the details are disturbing.
Prosecutors gave horrific details of what they said was more than two months of abuse. The Department of Children and Family Services said it had no prior contact with the family.
On Monday, it was learned that's because the little girl recently moved to the Chicago area from out of state.
At a bond hearing at the Markham courthouse, prosecutors said Klent Elwoods, 62, took Jada Moore, 5, home with him to Illinois after visiting her and her mom in Georgia. Jada's mom had fallen on hard times and needed someone to care for Jada.
He lived in Park Forest with his 57-year-old wife, Lisa Jones.
On Friday, Elwoods called 911 and told the operator, "I was beating my little granddaughter, and now she is out of it."
Police arrived on the scene with body-worn cameras activated and found the little girl lying on the couch completely naked.
Officers began CPR, but the girl was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
The beating appeared to have been over the girl soiling herself. Jones admitted that both defendants had been beating the victim as early as one month after the victim came to live with them.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said the bruises, abrasions, and scars on the girl's body were consistent with a pattern of ongoing behavior as the wounds were in various stages of healing. The little girl also suffered a subdural hematoma. A belt was recovered from the scene, and both were charged with first-degree murder.
CBS 2 spoke with a former girlfriend of Elwoods outside of court on Monday. She said the graphic details were upsetting, and she could not fathom him being responsible.
"Sometimes, you can fall into a dark hole, and I believe somewhere down the path, they fell into a dark hole," said Joyce Miller, Elwoods' former girlfriend. "For whatever reason, you don't know. Only God knows and it's a shock."
No bond was ordered for either the grandfather or his wife.
Elwoods has a prior robbery and carjacking conviction. He was sentenced to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Both defendants will be back in court next month.