Josiah Brown's aunt has been accused of pushing him into Lake Michigan.
The heart of Josiah Brown, the 3-year-old boy who drowned in Lake Michigan off Navy Pier will be going to a 2-year-old in Canada, his grieving dad Dantrell said on Instagram. The father who has a heart condition wrote, "Like father like son. While I’m in the hospital waiting on a heart transplant my son's heart is going to a 2year old baby boy in Canada.. my Jedi jojo 💙 You saw daddy become a hero to many and I’ve witnessed you do the exact same." The post continued, "I love you so much bubba. Eat all the snacks you want in heaven I hope your stomach never gets full so you can enjoy all your favorite food and snacks."
The little boy known to his loved ones as JoJo died after he spent 30 minutes underwater in Lake Michigan. His aunt Victoria Moreno, 34, has been accused of pushing him into more than six feet of the water last month. Officials said the woman watched from the pier as the boy slowly sank out of view and into the bottom of the lake. Moreno later allegedly denied knowing the toddler, reports PEOPLE. Divers rescued the boy half an hour later and was taken to the hospital. Sadly, he died six days later at Lurie Children's Hospital.
According to CBS, Moreno has been charged with first-degree murder and has been denied bail. The incident took place on Sept 19 when the family claimed that Josiah was at the family's Des Plaines home where he lived with his aunt and grandmother. Prosecutors claim that Moreno took Josiah without informing the other family members. She stole the keys of the family truck and drove off to Navy Pier. This troubled the family because Moreno had taken three children living at the family home a week before without informing the others. The 11-year-old called the family and asked for help and to come down to the location. Moreno is not allowed to drive because of medication she's on for mental health issues.
A source told WLS that the woman initially told officials that she was a witness to the drowning. Later she changed her story saying she caught the boy's shirt and let him fall into the water. Surveillance video shows a woman pushing him toward the edge of the pier and tossing him into the water, according to the source. The 3-year-old is being remembered as "just a bundle of joy" who was "full of energy, wants to do everything" and "loves his dad."
References:
https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/josiah-brown-lake-michigan-drowning-organ-donations/
https://abc7chicago.com/josiah-brown-funeral-navy-pier-chicago/12298537/
https://people.com/crime/illinois-boy-dies-aunt-allegedly-threw-him-lake-michigan/
Cover Image Source: YouTube |CBS Chicago
