10-Year-Old Boy Charged With Manslaughter in Death of 2-Year-Old Cousin

Journee Blyden, 2, was hospitalized in June after suffering severe head trauma. The Medical Examiner later ruled her death a homicide.

A 10-year-old boy was arrested Wednesday in connection with the June homicide of a 2-year-old Ocala girl, deputies said.

The boy has been charged with aggravated manslaughter of a child in the death of his cousin, Journee Blyden.

Journee was taken to a hospital with severe head trauma Tuesday, June 21 and died a few days later. Detectives were initially told that she’d fallen from a playpen, deputies said in a news release.

But after further investigation, detectives determined that the 10-year-old boy caused the girl’s fatal injuries.

During the investigation, a juvenile witness told detectives that the boy physically abused her and Journee when the three were left unsupervised.

When the 10-year-old boy was asked about this witness’s information, deputies said the boy told detectives that he was running while holding Journee and then fell on the kitchen floor, injuring her.

The boy then said he put her on the counter and “accidentally” pushed her off the counter top.

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SOURCE: WGNTV