Far South Side man charged with murder of second child

A Far South Side man has been charged with the murder of his 4-month-old daughter, following an attack on his pregnant fiancé and 3-year-old son last Halloween that also left the boy dead.

Devon Thomas, 22, appeared in court Tuesday on a first-degree murder charge for the death of Janylah Mack, according to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office. He was previously charged with murder and aggravated battery in November for the attack on his son, Tayveon Thomas, and Tayveon’s then-pregnant mother.

Thomas punched Tayveon several times in front of the boy’s mother on Oct. 30, 2016, prosecutors said at his first bond hearing. When the 23-year-old woman tried to stop him, he allegedly choked her until she lost consciousness.

The next day, at the couple’s apartment in the 12000 block of South Green Street, Thomas punched Tayveon several times in the chest and torso, prosecutors said. He went on to stomp on the boy’s legs, arms and body with his boots.

At that time, Tayveon’s mother came into the room to give him medicine. When she saw the boy being beaten, she tried to intervene, according to prosecutors. But Thomas slapped her across the face, knocked her into the wall, and grabbed her by her ponytail.

Thomas ended up dragging his fiancee by her hair to the front room of the apartment, where they started arguing, prosecutors said. The woman eventually went back to check on Tayveon. She saw him face down on the bed with his body against the wall.

Tayveon’s mother began chest compression and CPR, and called Thomas, who called 911 and continued chest compression until paramedics arrived, prosecutors said.

Tayveon was taken to Roseland Community Hospital, where he died at 1:15 p.m. that day, according to the medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found he died from multiple injuries resulting from child abuse, and his death was ruled a homicide.

The woman also began having chest pains and gave birth prematurely to Janylah a few hours after Tayveon died, prosecutors said.

Janylah died at 10:09 a.m. March 2, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy found she died from complications of injuries her mother suffered in an assault while pregnant, and her death was ruled a homicide.

The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is investigating the deaths of Tayveon and Janylah, according to spokeswoman Veronica Resa. The mother is also being investigated for neglect in connection with Tayveon’s death.

A 1-year-old sibling was taken into DCFS care following Tayveon’s death and remains in department custody, Resa said.

Thomas remains held without bond at the Cook County Jail, authorities said. He is next scheduled to appear in court April 10.