The father of a 2-year-old Homestead boy who is brain dead after a "boxing lesson" has been charged with second-degree murder and will not receive bond, a Miami-Dade judge ruled Wednesday.
Lee Willie DeJesus, 23, was originally charged with aggravated child abuse and child neglect after the Monday night incident inside their home on the 300 block of Southwest 4th Avenue. Police said they will bump the charge up to first-degree murder if the boy is taken off life support.
DeJesus told officers he was watching his son while the mother was at work when he decided to have a sparring session with the toddler.
He put on 16-ounce boxing gloves and punched his son, Willy Brown, as much as 15 times during the boxing lesson, according to police. DeJesus originally told police that the bruises on the boy's body were from a babysitter, but he later admitted that was a lie.
DeJesus also told officers that Brown fell off the bed and hit his head on the wall and tile floor, but waited between 30 minutes to an hour to call 911.
Brown was airlifted to Miami Children's Hospital, where he is brain dead and on life support, according to police.
DeJesus was booked into a Miami-Dade jail and a judge had issued a $75,000 bond, but later rescinded the bail after police increased the severity of the charge.
