Los Angeles County supervisors on Tuesday demanded an immediate investigation into why a 5-year-old South Los Angeles boy suffered "unbearable" abuse for two years without detection by authorities or social service agencies.
And, on the same day, Los Angeles police announced the arrest of a third suspect in the case -- a 26-year-old babysitter who they say disfigured the boy's hands by burning them on a stove.
Police say that La Tanya Monikue Jones also conspired with the boy's mother, Starkeisha Brown, 24, and her live-in girlffriend, Krystal Denise Matthews, 21, to hide the abuse.
Brown and Matthews were each formally charged Tuesday with one count of torture and conspiracy, as well as other charges of child abuse, corporal injury to a child and dissuading a witness. They were scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Compton, but the hearing was moved to June 25. Brown's and Matthews' bail were set at $1.1 million and $1.08 million, respectively.
The two are expected to plead not guilty, and each faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
Monikue Jones, the babysitter, has been charged with conspiracy to dissuade a witness, corporal injury to a child and child abuse, among other accusations. According to authorities, Monikue Jones let her 4-year-old son go with Brown and Matthews to a meeting with Department of Children and Family Services officials last week in a bid to fool them into thinking there was no abuse in their home.
According to authorities, Brown and Matthews have a history of troubled behavior.
Brown was a convicted felon and known gang member who for more than a year was wanted on a no-bail arrest warrant.
Matthews pleaded guilty in June to slashing her younger brother across the face with a box-cutter.
Nonetheless, Brown and Matthews shared their small South L.A. apartment with Brown's 5-year-old son. Over a two-year period, authorities said, the boy endured "unbearable psychological and physical abuse," including cigarette burns, near-starvation and beatings. The conditions went undetected by county officials until an anonymous caller alerted them earlier this month.
Department of Children and Family Services officials declined to provide specific information about the case, but suggested that they didn't know about possible abuse of the boy until being tipped off a few weeks ago.
