GRAND JURY INDICTS MOM AND MOM’S BOYFRIEND IN THE BEATING DEATH OF MOM’S FOUR YEAR OLD SON

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that a grand jury late this afternoon indicted Jose Calderon, 18, and Aleshia Smith, 26, in the beating death of Smith’s four year old son Quachaun Brown.

Calderon was indicted on two counts of Murder in the 2nd degree, one count of Manslaughter in the 1st degree and one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Calderon is facing a maximum sentence of 25 years to life imprisonment if convicted of either of the murder charges.

Smith was indicted on one count of Manslaughter in the 2nd degree, one count of Criminally Negligent Homicide and one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. Smith is facing a maximum sentence of up to 15 years imprisonment if convicted of the manslaughter charge.

It is alleged that the child died as a result of several beatings that occurred between January 27, 2006 and January 30, 2006. Calderon is accused, according to court papers, of repeatedly beating the child in the head and body “by using his fists, a belt, a plastic bat and by striking his head against a wall.” The court papers allege that defendant Smith failed to obtain prompt medical attention for Quachaun Brown even though she observed the boy to have “multiple bruises to his head and body, to be lethargic, and to be frequently bleeding from the ear and vomiting blood” as a result of the beatings.

The case is being prosecuted by Senior Investigative Assistant District Attorney Astrid Borgstedt of the Child Abuse / Sex Offense Bureau.