(DeSoto County, MS) WREG is learning about an Olive Branch toddler who died from severe injuries, but was the child killed.
In a statement sent to WREG Saturday, Olive Branch Police Chief Don Gammage confirmed his department is investigating the death of a 2-year-old boy said no arrest has been made.
“We are not releasing the child’s name or the parents’ names, but it all happened in the city limits of Olive Branch,” Gammage said. “It is still an ongoing investigation, and I will tell you that the child had severe and suspicious injuries.”
WREG asked DeSoto County District Attorney John Champion if this could be ruled a homicide.
He replied, “Yeah, I think. Yeah, most definitely this could be ruled a homicide.”
Champion is looking at every possibility.
Two weeks ago, a 2-year-old child from Olive Branch was taken to Le Bonheur with what he calls “severe” and “suspicious” injuries.
“At Le Bonheur, basically the child had to be taken off life support. We were called in on it, and began working with the Olive Branch Police.”
Champion wouldn’t give many details like where the child was living, and who was taking care of the toddler.
He said he is looking at more than one person, but wouldn’t say if they’re family members.
Champion is waiting on an autopsy report and hoping it will bring some resolution to this tragedy.
“I don’t know that situations like Tyler Raines or this case we are talking about or any situation is necessarily anything that can be prevented. The best eyesight everyone has got is hindsight. If someone is going to abuse a child, they will find some way to do it,” said Champion.
We put in a request for the police report, but were told, “because of the seriousness of the crime, it could take up to a week to get it.”
This is the second child’s death investigated in Desoto County in less than three weeks.
