Janylah Mack | Homicide Watch Chicago

Man already charged with murder of 3-year-old son Tayveon Thomas also accused of killing daughter, 4-month-old Janylah Mack

Jeff Mayes — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 17:05:26 -0500

By JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Devon Thomas | Cook County Sheriff's Dept.

A Far South Side man has been charged with the murder of his 4-month-old daughter, Janylah Mack, following an attack on his pregnant fiancé and 3-year-old son, Tayveon Thomas, last Halloween that also left the boy dead.

Devon Thomas, 22, appeared in court Tuesday on a first-degree murder charge for the death of Janylah, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. He was previously charged with murder and aggravated battery in November for the attack on his Tayveon and Tayveon’s then-pregnant mother.

Thomas punched Tayveon several times in front of the boy’s mother on Oct. 30, 2016, prosecutors said at his first bond hearing. When the 23-year-old woman tried to stop him, he allegedly choked her until she lost consciousness.

The next day, at the couple’s apartment in the 12000 block of South Green Street, Thomas punched Tayveon several times in the chest and torso, prosecutors said. He went on to stomp on the boy’s legs, arms and body with his boots.

Tayveon J. Thomas | Facebook

At that time, Tayveon’s mother came into the room to give him medicine. When she saw the boy being beaten, she tried to intervene, according to prosecutors. But Thomas slapped her across the face, knocked her into the wall, and grabbed her by her ponytail.

Thomas ended up dragging his fiancee by her hair to the front room of the apartment, where they started arguing, prosecutors said. The woman eventually went back to check on Tayveon. She saw him face down on the bed with his body against the wall.

Tayveon’s mother began chest compression and CPR, and called Thomas, who called 911 and continued chest compression until paramedics arrived, prosecutors said.

Tayveon was taken to Roseland Community Hospital, where he died at 1:15 p.m. that day, according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found he died from multiple injuries resulting from child abuse, and his death was ruled a homicide.

The woman also began having chest pains and gave birth prematurely to Janylah a few hours after Tayveon died, prosecutors said.

Janylah died at 10:09 a.m. March 2, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found she died from complications of injuries her mother suffered in an assault while pregnant, and her death was ruled a homicide.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is investigating the deaths of Tayveon and Janylah, according to spokeswoman Veronica Resa. The mother is also being investigated for neglect in connection with Tayveon’s death.

A 1-year-old sibling was taken into DCFS care following Tayveon’s death and remains in department custody, Resa said.

Thomas remains held without bond at the Cook County Jail, authorities said. He is next scheduled to appear in court April 10.

WEEK IN REVIEW: At least two dead from violence, though Chicago went all week without a fatal shooting

Jeff Mayes — Thu, 09 Mar 2017 10:59:13 -0600

By JEFF MAYES
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

There was likely not a fatal shooting in Chicago last week, something that had not happened in Chicago in more than four years.

It has been since at least 2012 since there was a week without a fatal shooting, according to Homicide Watch Chicago records which go back to the start of 2013. The longest stretch without a fatal shooting in that time was four days, which happened in December 2016.

But despite the lull in fatalities, the city is still ahead of 2016 as far as shootings go, though 2016 had recorded more homicides, 111, as compared to this year, which had seen 102 through Sunday.

Two people did die from violence in the city last week, but both were injured before the week started.

Chicago Police and state child welfare authorities are investigating the death of a 4-month-old Janylah Mack, who died Thursday from injuries suffered in utero when her father allegedly beat her pregnant mother and killed her 3-year-old brother last year. Janylah was pronounced dead at 10:09 a.m. Thursday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy Friday found the baby, who lived in the West Side Humboldt Park neighborhood, died from complications of injuries her mother suffered in an assault while pregnant with her.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is investigating her death, according to an agency spokeswoman. A DCFS statement said Janylah died “as the result of injuries suffered in utero from an apparent domestic violence incident that took place when the mother was 34 weeks into her pregnancy, on October 31, 2016.”

Janylah's father, Devon Thomas, 22, was charged with murder and aggravated battery in November for an attack on his 3-year-old son, Tayveon Thomas, and the boy's then-pregnant mother. He has not been charged in connection with Janylah's death.

Thomas is also under investigation by DCFS for abusing Tayveon, who died on Oct. 31, 2016, and the boy's mother is also being investigated for neglect in connection with Tayveon’s death, Resa said. A 1-year-old sibling remains in DCFS custody, Resa said.
A man was found shot to death Saturday afternoon in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side, but police believe he was shot days or even weeks prior to being found. Officers responded at 12:23 p.m. to a call of a person lying face down in a vacant lot in the 5400 block of West Ohio. Antoine D. Watkins, 22, was found dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office.
Watkins lived about a block away from where he was found, and had been reported missing Feb. 8 after not having been seen since Feb. 4, police said. A police source said it appeared the body had been in the field for "quite a while." An autopsy showed Watkins died of multiple gunshot wounds.
There may be a third homicide victim from last week, but an autopsy on the body of a woman found by a garbage collector Friday afternoon in the Grand Crossing neighborhood on the South Side was inconclusive. The man was dumping trash about 12:25 p.m. in the 7300 block of South Kenwood when he discovered the body and called 911, police said.
The woman was identified as 21-year-old Diamond Turner. It wasn’t known how long her body had been there, and the autopsy did not rule on manner and cause of death, with results pending further investigation, according to the medical examiner's office.

Janylah Mack, infant daughter of man charged with beating pregnant fiancee and killing toddler son, dies

Jeff Mayes — Sat, 04 Mar 2017 10:53:56 -0600

By LUKE WILUSZ
Chicago Sun-Times Wire

Devon Thomas | Cook County Sheriff's Dept.

Four-month-old Janylah Mack died Thursday from injuries suffered in utero when her father allegedly beat her pregnant mother and killed her 3-year-old brother Tayveon J. Thomas.

Janylah was pronounced dead at 10:09 a.m. Thursday, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy Friday found the baby, who lived in the West Side Humboldt Park neighborhood, died from complications of injuries her mother suffered in an assault while pregnant. Her death was ruled a homicide.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is investigating her death, according to spokeswoman Veronica Resa.

A DCFS statement said Janylah died “as the result of injuries suffered in utero from an apparent domestic violence incident that took place when the mother was 34 weeks into her pregnancy, October 31, 2016.”

Her father, Devon Thomas, 22, was charged with murder and aggravated battery in November for an attack on his 3-year-old son Tayveon, and his then-pregnant mother, authorities said at the time.

Tayveon J. Thomas | Facebook

Thomas is also under investigation for abusing Tayveon, who died Oct. 31, 2016, Resa said. His mother is also being investigated for neglect in connection with Tayveon’s death.

A 1-year-old sibling was taken into DCFS care following Tayveon’s death and remains in the department’s custody, Resa said.

Thomas punched Tayveon several times in front of the boy’s mother on Oct. 30, 2016, prosecutors said at his bond hearing. When the 23-year-old woman tried to stop him, he allegedly choked her until she lost consciousness.

The next day, at the couple’s apartment, Thomas punched Tayveon several times in the chest and torso, prosecutors said. He went on to stomp on the boy’s legs, arms and body with his boots.

At that time, Tayveon’s mother came into the room to give him medicine. When she saw the boy being beaten, she tried to intervene, according to prosecutors. But Thomas slapped her across the face, knocking her into the wall, and grabbed her by her ponytail.

Thomas ended up dragging his fiancee by her hair to the front room of the apartment, where they started arguing, prosecutors said. The woman eventually went back to check on Tayveon. She saw him lying face down on the bed with his body against the wall.

Tayveon’s mother began chest compressions and CPR, and called Thomas, who called 911 and continued with chest compressions until paramedics arrived, prosecutors said.

The woman began having chest pains and gave birth prematurely to Janylah a few hours after Tayveon died, prosecutors said.

Thomas is being held without bond at the Cook County Jail, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office. His next court date is scheduled for March 16. He has not yet been charged in connection with Janylah's death/