A Kentucky man is behind bars after reportedly kicking, slamming, and biting his 5-year-old son before pushing him down the stairs, resulting in the boy’s death.
Laron D. Gardner Jr., 24, is charged with murder, first-degree child abuse, and assault, according to the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Police arrived shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday to a home in the 2900 block of Conestoga Avenue for a report of a 5-year-old kid suffering “traumatic injuries due to a fall.” Paramedics transported the boy to a children’s hospital, where he died on Wednesday.
Further research indicated that the boy’s injuries were not compatible with a fall. An autopsy revealed that the youngster, identified as Elious Rayne, had “numerous severe injuries to multiple areas of his body, which caused his death,” according to a local CBS affiliate, WLKY.
Gardner was allegedly alone with Elious and his sister at the time. Gardner’s sister informed officials that he kicked, slammed, and bit the youngster before pushing him down the stairs.
Gardner was arrested on Friday. On Saturday, a judge set Gardner’s bond at $1 million in cash. He is still in the custody of Louisville Metro Corrections.
“There’s no question that Mr. Gardner is a danger to this community and a danger to victims that remain in the household that he was in and possibly to the community at large,” the court said, according to WLKY.
He has a court date planned for September 15.
The boy’s family set up a GoFundMe page to assist pay for funeral expenses.
“Not only did we lose Eli, but we had to figure out how it happened,” the fundraiser stated.
