One Year Old is Tragically Killed by Mother
Johnesha Monae Perry, a nineteen-year-old woman from Allentown, Pa., was charged Monday, May 11, 2015, with homicide after authorities alleged she pushed her 1-year-old son, Zymeir Perry, off a bridge and into a river. Perry also faces charges of child endangerment and aggravated assault. The police say she pushed him over the rail of a bridge into the Lehigh River on Sunday, May 3th, before jumping in herself. Authorities found the boy about 700 yards downstream. Unfortunately, the child died on Saturday, May 9th.
Her attorney, a public defender, declined to comment on the case, however, the court documents state that she gave her son a kiss before pushing him over the bridge. Once the autopsy was conducted the medical examiner found the child died from blunt force trauma and drowning.
Under Florida law, homicide is punishable under §782.04 of the Florida Statutes. Pursuant to the statute, a homicide is “the unlawful killing of a human being: 1) when perpetrated from a premeditated design to effect the death of the person killed or any human being; 2) when committed by a person engaged in the perpetration of, or in the attempt to perpetrate” certain felonies, in this case, aggravated child abuse. This is a capital felony and the penalties are set forth under §775.082 of the Florida Statutes. Under Florida law if the mother were found guilty, she would be punished by death or by life imprisonment without parole.
According to data from the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS), about 1,520 children, nationwide, died from abuse and neglect in 2013. From a total of 100 percent, 34.5 percent of children deaths reported are between the ages 1 to 3. This is the age range of our victim in this case, Zymeir Perry.
Contact Stroleny Law: Criminal Defense Attorney today if you need a Miami criminal defense lawyer. The attorney at Stroleny Law: Criminal Defense Attorney has the qualifications and expertise necessary to resolve your case. Call us today at 305-615-1285 to schedule a free consultation and learn how we will fight to defend your rights. For more information about our firm and about Florida laws, visit us online at strolenylaw.com.