WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on a Wichita couple whose 3-year-old son was found dead at their mobile home (all times local):
5 p.m.
Prosecutors have filed murder charges against a Wichita couple whose 3-year-old had been dead for days when his body was found in a crib in their mobile home.
The parents of Zaiden Javonovich made their first court appearances Tuesday. His 22-year-old mother, Brandi Kai Marchant, and 28-year-old father, Patrick Janovich, both face five charges.
The Wichita Eagle reports that the charges include first-degree murder with underlying felonies of neglect and abuse, two counts of abuse of a child and aggravated endangerment of a child.
Police last week responding to a domestic disturbance between the parents found the parents walking outside their Wichita home before checking on the children inside where the found the older boy’s body. A 4-month-old boy who was taken from their home Thursday in critical condition is improving.
————
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Child welfare authorities had received abuse reports about a Wichita couple whose 3-year-old son was found dead in a crib at their mobile home where a baby also was found in critical condition, according to police.
Capt. Brent Allred provided no details Monday on the Kansas Department for Children and Families’ involvement with the family of Zaiden Javonovich, whom investigators believe had been dead for days before his body was found. The welfare agency, which has been under fire after other child deaths, declined to comment while it’s investigating the case.
Although welfare officials had received reports, police officers hadn’t received such reports before finding the child’s body Thursday while responding to a domestic disturbance at the home. Police encountered Zaiden’s parents — 28-year-old Patrick Javonovich and 22-year-old Brandi Marchant — as they walked back to the home.
Inside, officers found Zaiden’s body wrapped in a blanket in a crib. Allred said Zaiden suffered “obvious injuries,” but he didn’t elaborate.
Officers also found an injured 4-month-old boy, who was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Allred said the baby is improving.
“It’s shocking to see adults treat their kids in the way these two were treated,” Allred said. “It’s, I say, pathetic, because that’s what it is.”
The parents are jailed on $200,000 bonds on suspicion of first-degree murder and two counts of aggravated child endangerment. Sedgwick County prosecutor’s office spokesman Dan Dillon said he expects a judge would appoint the couple an attorney when they make a first court appearance Tuesday afternoon.
The home, where the family had lived for a couple months, had food and no signs of drug use, police said. Allred said Marchant has two other children but doesn’t have custody of them. Javonovich has one other child who sometimes visits on weekends.
The Wichita area has seen several child abuse homicides. The victims include 3-year-old Evan Brewer, whose body was found encased in concrete, and 5-year-old Lucas Hernandez, whose body was found under a rural bridge months after he went missing.
The agency had extensive involvement with both children before their deaths. While campaigning last year, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly repeatedly described problems in the child welfare system as among the most pressing the state faces. Lawmakers now are consideringincreasing funding to add more child welfare workers
——————-
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police say child welfare authorities had received abuse reports about a Wichita couple whose 3-year-old had been dead for days when his body was found in a crib in their mobile home.
Capt. Brent Allred says an autopsy will determine the cause of death for Zaiden Javonovich, whose parents Patrick Javonovich and Brandi Machant were booked into jail last week on suspicion of murder.
Police also say a 4-month-old boy who was taken from their home Thursday in critical condition is improving.
Police responding to a domestic disturbance first encountered the parents as they walked back to the home. Police said they hadn’t received abuse reports and provided no details on the Kansas Department for Children and Families’ involvement with the family.
The agency won’t release additional details while it’s investigating.