Prosecutors Say Child Was Being Punished, Leading To The Death Of 6-Year-Old Damari Perry Who Was Reported Missing Last Week; 3 Family Members Charged
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The mother and two siblings of Damari Perry, 6, who was found dead late Friday night have been charged in his death.
North Chicago police were working with Skokie police and the FBI in the search for the boy, and his body was recovered near an abandoned house in the 700 block of Van Buren Street in Gary, Indiana.
Damari's mother, Jannie M. Perry, 38, is charged with first-degree murder, concealment of a homicidal death, and obstructing justice. Damari's 20-year-old brother, Jeremiah R. Perry, is charged with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm to a child under 12, concealing a homicidal death, and obstructing justice. Another juvenile sibling of Damari is facing charges in Lake County's Juvenile Court, according to the Lake County State's Attorney's Office. All three were taken into custody Friday night.
He was reported missing just before 5 p.m. Wednesday. Family members originally told police that Damari was missing after going to a party with his sister in Skokie, but Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart has since called that story "completely false," saying that is the reason for the obstruction of justice charges.
The boy's mother had said that Damari and his 16-year-old sister were driven from North Chicago to the party in Skokie, alleging they were driven by a man and a woman. The sister said after "several" drinks she fell asleep and two hours later both her brother and the man were missing.
It was just days later the boy's body was found 70 miles away across state lines in Gary, Indiana. The 6-year-old's body was discovered dumped by abandoned houses.
The underage members of the family are now in the custody of the Department of Children and Family Services, which confirms they have had "prior contact" with this family.
CBS 2 has heard multiple conflicting reports, including the timeline when Perry was found and exactly how long he has been missing.
We have reached out to North Chicago Police with no response as of 5:45 p.m. Saturday.
More charges in the case are possible, according to a release from the State's Attorney's Office.
Prosecutors during the bond hearing Sunday morning said on Dec. 30, Jannie and Jeremiah Perry decided to punish Damari for something done the day prior. They decided to place Damari in a cold shower and family members kept Damari in the cold water for an extended period of time. Eventually, he vomited and died.
The mother and Jeremiah developed the plan to take the body to an abandoned location and did so in order to dispose of the body.
An autopsy is expected to be completed this week in Indiana.
