Mother charged with son's murder after 4-year-old was found dead in South Florida apartment over 10 years ago
FORT LAUDERDALE — A mother is now charged with the murder of her son after the four-year-old boy was found dead in a South Florida apartment over a decade ago.
Destene Simmons, who is now in jail, faced a judge on Saturday. She faces one count of murder with no bond and another count of aggravated child abuse with a $25,000 bond. CBS News Miami has reached out to the Broward State Attorney's Office to find out why she was suddenly charged.
Antwan "A.J." Hope's family had no justice after he was found dead 11 years ago; however, family members have always voiced their concerns regarding Simmons' role in his death.
The "suspicious" death of Antwan Hope
Simmons called 911 on June 10, 2013, and when Coral Springs Police arrived at her apartment, they found Hope dead. Two weeks before his death, the boy celebrated his preschool graduation.
Back then, Hope's family told CBS News Miami that his death was preventable.
"My thought is if her family and anybody else [that] knew she was incapable of taking care of her child, it shouldn't have been saying something right now," said Barbara Brunson, the boy's paternal great-aunt.
At the time of Hope's death, Simmons did not have custody of her son. She was Baker acted the year before for a psychological evaluation after he own mother called the police for attempting to suffocate the boy with a pillow. She had been involuntarily committed a total of three times before Hope died. In a police report, Simmons' mother told Broward County Sheriff's deputies that she was diagnosed with schizophrenia and depression.
Meanwhile, Hope's father claimed back in 2013 that he and Simmons were in a custody battle. But during that time, the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) was preparing to reunite the mother and son. Hope was found dead during his first unsupervised visit with his mom after Simmons lost custody of him.
When CBS News Miami spoke with Hope's paternal family back in 2013, they said the system had failed him.
"I can't tell my baby died of natural cause," said grandmother Sharon Walker. "I can't tell them that my baby, my grandbaby at four years old died. I have to tell everybody that my grandbaby got killed."