Dominick Calhoun's Mother Arraigned in Death of Her 4-Year-Old Son

Police: Man tortured 4-year-old to death for wetting his pants

CNN

(CNN) -- A Michigan man could face life in prison after he allegedly tortured and ultimately killed his girlfriend's 4-year-old son last week for wetting his pants, prosecutors say.

Brandon Joshua-Frederick Hayes, 24, "systematically beat" Dominick Calhoun, 4, "pummeling [him] with fists and kicking him" on his arms, legs and genitalia, Genesee County prosecutor David Leyton told CNN.

Hayes also apparently burned the boy in the course of the torture. "The knuckles across one hand were charred," Argentine Township police chief Dan Allen said.

"I've been doing this a long time, and this is the worst case of child abuse I've ever seen," the police chief said. "In all respects, he was tortured."

Prosecutors arraigned Hayes on Thursday on nine charges, including one count of first-degree premeditated murder, one count of first-degree child abuse and one count of torture, which by itself carries a possible life sentence.

"Little Dominick met his boogeyman, and that was defendant Hayes," Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell said at a news conference Thursday.

CNN was unable to reach someone who could speak on Hayes' behalf.

Hayes' motivation for his savage multiday attack on the boy was that the child "had wet his pants," Leyton said. "It had happened before."

Hayes also resented the child because his "biological father wouldn't pay child support," Leyton said.

Dominick's mother, Corrine Baker, was present for at least some of the beating and tried to shield the boy from Hayes' aggression, authorities said.

"She tried to lay on top of the child to guard the child against being beat any further, but she was beat in the process," according to the police chief.

The sequence of events that led to the discovery of the abuse began when Baker's sister and several acquaintances came to the apartment to buy drugs from Hayes, according to Allen. After seeing Dominick's condition, the sister alerted the boy's paternal grandfather, who in turn contacted authorities.

When emergency responders entered the apartment on the afternoon of April 11, Dominick was "barely alive." EMS transferred him to Hurley Hospital in Flint, where he was pronounced brain dead.

The boy was taken off life support the following morning.

Dominick's mother's whereabouts and actions through all portions of the torture session remain somewhat hazy. The county prosecutor said his office is "still investigating her involvement in all this."

"She's also culpable for putting him in the dangerous position in the first place," he added.

Baker was taken into custody on Sunday but released later. Attempts to reach her at her home Thursday evening were unsuccessful.

The town police chief said Baker and her son had been brought to the attention of Genesee County Department of Child Services on several occasions. The agency did not respond to CNN's requests for comment Thursday.

It was not immediately clear whether Baker's involvement with the child services agency predated her relationship with Hayes. The police chief said he believed Baker and Hayes had been together for about six months.

Maelstrom wrote:Dear God - poor little mite.

What makes a person so sick, so perverted, so bereft of human compassion and even humanity, to do all those things to a small, dependent child? I think someone like that gives up any human rights he had when he inflicts such suffering on a vulnerable child. People like that should never be allowed back into civilised society.

Sleep tight, little one x

God! I despair of this world, I really do.

WTF was the "mother" thinking about, staying with a creep like that?

Dominick Calhoun, 4, Tortured To Death For Urinating On A Couch

April 16, 2010
 

Prepare to have your heart broke.


On April 8, a little 4-year old named Dominick Calhoun was sitting on the couch at his family’s apartment eating cereal when he accidentally urinated on himself and the couch. His mother’s boyfriend, 24-year old Brandon Joshua-Frederick Hayes, allegedly became enraged and began punching and kicking Dominick repeatedly in the head. Still angry, Hayes then began hitting Dominick’s mother, Corrine Baker (Myspace), and pulled out chunks of her hair while he screamed, “Who is going to pay for this?” (meaning the sofa). The next day, Hayes allegedly once again began kicking little Dominick in the head and the groin repeatedly and when the boy’s mother covered his body with her own, Hayes kicked her in the head. During the abuse, Hayes kept screaming at Baker that he was tired of raising little Dominick and he was upset that he was not getting any money from Dominick’s father. Hayes allegedly told Baker that Dominick was nothing more than a little crackhead who deserved to die.
On the third day of this savage beating, Dominick was lying listless on his bed when it’s believed that Hayes dragged the unconscious boy out of his bed by his arm and continued to kick and beat the boy again and again throughout the day. The investigation also revealed that Hayes had used his thumbs to poke into Dominick’s eyes. On the fourth day, April 11, Corrine Baker’s sister, Christine Baker, stopped by the apartment to purchase drugs from Hayes and her sister. When she seen bruising on her sister and her nephew had been badly beaten, Christine left and told Dominick’s grandfather, Richard Calhoun. Mr. Calhoun called the police and stated frantically that they needed help at the apartment because his grandson was dying. Officers entered the apartment and found Dominick in his bedroom lying on his back was wearing only a t-shirt and pull-up pants. Dominick was unconscious and moaning with shallow breathing at the time.
Dominick was rushed by paramedics to a local hospital where he was declared brain-dead and placed on life-support. A portion of Dominick’s skull had to be removed to help relieve pressure because his brain was so swollen. Dominick Calhoun died at 11:02 the following Monday morning, after being removed from life support. Brandon Joshua-Frederick Hayes was charged with torture, child abuse, homicide, murder, assault with the intent to create great bodily harm less than murder, delivery of marijuana to a minor, possession with the intent to deliver and possession of hydrocodone. Hayes is being held without bond on four of the charges, including murder, homicide and torture. His bond for the remaining charges is set at $1 million each, for a total bond of $5 million.
A funeral service for Dominick has been set for 11 a.m. today at the Freedom Center in Fenton. A candlelight vigil is planned 7 p.m. Saturday at the Millpond in Fenton. The Dominick Calhoun Memorial Fund has been established for the family at Flagstar Bank and can be made through any branch office or call 248-312-5400. Donations will be used toward medical and funeral experiences and any additional funds will be used for the education of Dominick’s 8-year old brother, Tyler. There is also a Facebook Page, Justice for Dominick Calhoun, you can join for updates.


R.I.P. Little man.

Facebook link

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Justice-for-Dominick-Calhoun/111166185582195?ref=search&sid=506651973.3938137647..1&v=wall

I don't honestly know what to say to this. I'm speechless

Maelstrom wrote:Also here

https://missingmadeleine.forumotion.net/child-killers-rapists-pedophiles-f46/man-charged-with-killing-4-year-old-for-wetting-his-pants-t9902.htm#204642

I've just merged the two topics thanks

Dominick Calhoun's Mother Arraigned in Death of Her 4-Year-Old Son

April 27, 2010

The mother of the 4-year-old who was allegedly beaten to death for wetting his pants was arraigned Monday in a Flint courtroom on second-degree murder charges.


Dominick Calhoun, 4, Tortured to Death

Genesee County woman Corinne Baker wiped away tears with her shoulder as the judge explained the charges she faces in the death of her son Dominick Calhoun, reports The Flint Journal. No bond was set, and she remains in custody in Livingston County for breaking probation in an unrelated case.


Corrine Baker, mother of Dominick Calhoun, 4, cries while being arraigned on second-degree murder and child abuse charges on Monday as 67th District Court Judge John L. Conover reads the charges against her

Authorities allege that Baker, 25, willfully disregarded her son's condition while her live-in boyfriend, Brandon Hayes, repeatedly tortured her son to death for wetting his pants in their apartment.

Baker reportedly told police she was afraid to report the abuse, thinking she would be blamed or charged with violating her probation for a 2008 drug conviction by being in an environment with illegal drugs, moving without notifying officials of her new address and associating with Hayes, a person with a prior felony conviction, reports The Flint Journal.

Brandon Hayes is being charged with torture and first degree murder for the death of Dominick Calhoun. The accident reportedly occurred April 8, and Hayes allegedly tortured the 4-year-old over a period of four days.

Dominick's body was found Sunday, April 11 on the floor of the apartment. The young boy was taken off life support the following day.

Megan Calhoun, Dominick's aunt who attended Monday's arraignment, plans to attend as many hearings as she can emotionally handle. "I just want justice to be served," she told The Flint Journal. She said she loved Dominick and wishes she could "see him grow up."

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20003530-504083.html

http://www.tctimes.com/articles/2010/04/28/news/doc4bd82f208fc74711526768.txt

http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2010/04/corrine_baker_mother_of_domini_3.html