Girl Who Killed Cousin After Torturing Him for 32 Days Learns Destiny

A New York Metropolis lady has been sentenced to twenty years in jail for the 2021 killing of her teenage cousin with mental disabilities, whom she tortured for greater than a month.

The sufferer, 15-year-old Jallen McConnie, died from “homicidal asphyxia” after being severely overwhelmed on June 28, 2021, in his cousin Johnette Booker’s Manhattan dwelling, in accordance with a March 24 press assertion from the Manhattan District Legal professional’s workplace. 

Booker, 43, was convicted on a number of expenses, together with manslaughter, in February, District Legal professional Alvin Bragg mentioned on the time. 

She has now been sentenced to twenty years in jail, Bragg mentioned within the launch.

At trial, prosecutors mentioned Booker had repeatedly attacked Jallen, who had been despatched to her for a “cousin boot camp” by a relative for disciplinary causes, per the assertion. 

Throughout his keep in Booker’s dwelling, Booker “repeatedly bodily and emotionally tortured” the kid, who had autism, Bragg mentioned in his assertion. 

The torture included beating him with belts; forcing him to sleep on the ground; intensive workouts; standing in a nook and touching his toes; and denying him his prescribed remedy, per Bragg. 

On the day of the killing, Booker beat Jallen for over an hour, utilizing a belt and hitting him throughout his face, arms, legs and physique, Bragg mentioned. The kid was left with welts and bruises throughout his physique. 

Prosecutors mentioned two different individuals joined Booker in the course of the assault. After beating him, the group dragged Jallen to the toilet and certainly one of them compelled water down Jallen’s throat, and Booker aided in that assault. It isn’t instantly clear if the 2 different individuals allegedly concerned within the assault face expenses. 

The kid collapsed within the bathtub. 

Booker additionally did not name emergency providers or relations within the fast aftermath of the incident, Bragg mentioned. She later gave officers a number of inconsistent statements, comparable to claiming she was not at dwelling when the assault occurred. 

She initially additionally claimed Jallen had been “jumped” by “boys within the park,” later altering the story to say Jallen died by suicide, in accordance with Bragg. 

A GoFundMe has been arrange for Jallen to help his household with a gravestone and memorial providers.

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In his assertion, Bragg condemned Booker’s “vicious and merciless habits” and for placing the kid via “an excruciating degree of abuse and trauma.” 

Along with first-degree manslaughter, Booker has been convicted of first-degree assault, two counts of gang assault, one depend of second-degree assault and one depend of kid endangerment. 

She is going to serve her time in state jail. 

In the event you suspect baby abuse, name the Childhelp Nationwide Youngster Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Youngster or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is out there 24/7 in additional than 170 languages.