A Queens grand jury indicted a father for murdering his 2-year-old son after beating the toddler while in a drunken stupor inside a residence at a Long Island City homeless shelter in January. The youngster later died from his injuries.
Dayvon Morrison, 30, was arraigned in Queens Supreme Court on Thursday, March 18, on an indictment charging him with two counts of murder in the second degree and endangering the welfare of a child.
According to the charges, on Jan. 30 and 31, Morrison was the sole caretaker of his son Maliek and his daughter inside a family shelter at the Manhattan View Hotel at 39-05 29th Ave. during the time the injuries to the young boy were inflicted. On Feb. 2, at approximately 1:30 a.m., Morrison brought his son to Manhattan, where he went to drop off his other child at his mother’s NYCHA apartment building in the vicinity of 102nd Street and 3rd Avenue in East Harlem. His son was in the undercarriage of a stroller; a space typically used for storage, and remained there for approximately two hours before Morrison removed him to a place in the stroller seat. Witnesses then noticed the victim’s deteriorating condition and called the police.
EMS responded and rushed the boy to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he was placed on a ventilator. The child suffered a blown right pupil, fractured pelvis, laceration to the liver, damage to the brain stem, multiple brain bleeds and swelling to the brain, among other injuries. He succumbed to those injuries and was pronounced dead by hospital staff on Feb. 4.
“A parent’s most sacred responsibility is ensuring the safety of their children,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said. “As alleged, this defendant chose to abandon that solemn duty when he inflicted life-threatening injuries on his 2-year-old son, Maliek, and then let him suffer. It was only after other people, who observed the toddler’s injuries. Intervened that the child received medical treatment. Maliek tragically passed away two days after being admitted to the hospital and the defendant is now indicted on charges of murder and other crimes.”
Morrison pleaded not guilty at his arraignment before Queens Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant, who remanded him into custody and ordered him to return to court on May 1. If convicted, Morrison faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
“Our thoughts are with the young victim’s loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” Katz said.
