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Texas mother, boyfriend charged after toddler dies in suspected beating, deputies say

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A Texas couple is facing charges after a toddler died following a suspected beating in Harris County, authorities said.

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According to KTRK and KRIV, Darrielle Williams and her boyfriend, Johvonte Johnson, were jailed on child injury charges after Williams’ 2-year-old son, Tevin Jefferson, died Tuesday. Harris County sheriff’s deputies said that once an autopsy is completed, Johnson likely will face an upgraded charge of murder, the outlets reported.

On Tuesday, Williams took Jefferson, who had suffered head trauma, to a Houston emergency room, where he was pronounced dead, deputies said in an incident report. Although Williams claimed that a fall in the bath had caused the toddler’s injuries, authorities said the explanation did not match Jefferson’s wounds, authorities said.

Johnson, who is not Tevin’s father, later came to the hospital, KTRK and KRIV reported. Eventually, Johnson told investigators that he had beaten the boy, who fell, struck his head and became unresponsive, deputies said. Johnson said he then rushed Tevin to Williams’ workplace, where the pair fabricated the bathtub story, deputies said.

Williams and Johnson are being held on a $50,000 bond each, according to KRIV.

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