A Baltimore mother and her fiancé are facing charges following the death of her 6-year-old son.
According to charging documents obtained by ABC 2 Baltimore, Brian Graham was found burned and bruised when his mother, Jalesia Offer, 34, discovered him unresponsive, floating in hot bath water. Offer’s fiancé, Brandon Wheatley, 34, was found slumped over on the floor.
Offer stated that she woke her fiancé, and together they pulled Brian’s body from the tub.
Around 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday, authorities responded to their home in the 6300 block of Greenspring Avenue in Cheswolde, as reported by The Baltimore Sun. Brian was found unresponsive and taken to the hospital, where he later died.
On Thursday morning, his death a homicide due to blunt force trauma.
The Medical Examiner’s Office determined Brian suffered a lacerated liver, multiple fractured ribs, and internal bleeding in the head and torso. Testing showed the bathwater most likely reached temperatures of 128 degrees Fahrenheit.
A neighbor, Hasan Edmondson, said, “It’s awful. It’s a crazy world we live in. But when you hear stuff like that, especially in your own backyard, it’s kinda trippy. People are sick, and people need help.”
Both Offer and Wheatley have been booked and charged with first-degree child abuse resulting in death.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
[Feature Photos via Baltimore PD]
