Prosecutors painted a horrifying picture of conditions they allege led to the death of an 8-year-old boy, including his mother forcing him to hold weights above his head and monitoring his room with video surveillance.
Markell Pierce was found unresponsive in his Round Lake Beach home on Friday afternoon, and he was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later.
The boy’s mother, identified as 33-year-old Dominique Servant, and her boyfriend, 38-year-old Joey Ruffin, are facing first-degree murder charges in connection with Markell’s death, which prosecutors allege occurred due to systemic abuse that he suffered at their hands.
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At a detention hearing Monday, prosecutors began to lay out their case against the couple, alleging that they abused multiple children in their home and that they would often deprive them of food and fluids.
Among the punishments the couple allegedly meted out to their children was forcing Markell to hold eight-pound weights over his head as a punishment for misbehavior.
Prosecutors also allege that Ruffin and Servant forced Markell to use the bathroom on a plastic sheet in his room, and that they monitored him and two of his siblings with video surveillance.
The couple allegedly beat the children with belts, attacks that they allegedly recorded and stored on their phones.
Finally, prosecutors allege that Markell was taken out of school because his mother was tired of dealing with allegations of abuse.
There should be one more eight year old alive in this world today,” Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said. “This horrific death was preventable. In light of the ongoing nature of the investigation, the moral mandate that we secure justice for this eight year old child and the need to hold every responsible party accountable.”
Round Lake Beach police were dispatched to a residence Friday afternoon for reports of an unresponsive child.
Police immediately began CPR on Markell when they arrived, and paramedics transported the child to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
First responders noted the child had bruising on his body and that he appeared malnourished, according to police.
The Lake County Major Crime Task Force was called into the investigation, and charges of first-degree murder and child endangerment causing death were approved by the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Now, both Ruffin and Servant are ordered held pretrial as the investigation continues.
“The loss of Markell Pierce is devastating. No child should suffer at the hands of those entrusted with their care. We are reminded of our shared responsibility to look out for the most vulnerable among us,” Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek said in a statement.
Detectives found evidence Pierce was subject to “long-term neglect, physical abuse and mental abuse.”
A 10-year-old sibling was admitted to a hospital due to signs of abuse and malnourishment, according to police.
DCFS officials said the family was not receiving its services, and that it is working on an investigation into the matter.
“This family was not receiving services from DCFS and the Department is actively working with Round Lake law enforcement to investigate the circumstances around this child’s death,” the department said in a statement.
Rinehart’s office said that Markell’s sister remains hospitalized, and that DCFS will determine custody of her and another 3-year-old child that was in the home at the time of the arrests.
He also encouraged residents to report to police if they suspect that a child is being abused.
“If you see signs of a child being abused or malnourished, report it,” He said. “If you need help as a parent, get it. Get it from friends, get it from family, get it from neighbors, get from people you trust.”
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