Charles E. RamirezThe Detroit News
Six-year-old Giovanni "Chulo" Jennings died last month with his shirt stapled to a wall to keep him face-first in the corner of a Madison Heights bedroom in a "horrific" case of abuse, officials said Friday.
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said a medical examiner ruled the official cause of his death was blunt force trauma to his abdomen and a perforated bowel.
"As we sifted through the evidence, what we found can only be described as horrific," she said. "An autopsy revealed Chulo had bruising and lacerations on his entire body, including his scalp, temples, lips, inner mouth, cheeks, forehead, chin, shoulder, forearms, fingers, thumbs, back, buttocks, inner thighs, knees and shins."
McDonald announced Friday she had leveled new charges against the boy's mother, Elaina Jennings, 25, and her boyfriend, Daniel Giacchina, 32. The two were originally charged in early August — Giacchina with three felony firearm charges and Jennings with lying to a peace officer.
"Based on additional evidence, my office amended the charges today to include murder and first-degree child abuse," the prosecutor said.
She announced the added charges during a Friday news conference at her office in Pontiac, flanked by Madison Heights Police Chief Brent LeMerise and McDonald's staff.
LeMerise said the department has been working around the clock to uncover fresh evidence in the case after the boy died July 31 at Children's Hospital.
Jennings and Giacchina were arraigned in the 43rd District Court before Magistrate Michael Mitchell on the new charges Friday, McDonald said. Mitchell denied bond for the couple and scheduled a probable cause conference for Aug. 21. If convicted, Jennings and Giacchina both face up to life in prison.
Firefighters and officers were called to a residence in a mobile home community in the 25000 block of Dequindre Road near 10 Mile on July 30 for a report of an unresponsive boy, police said.
First responders arrived and found the boy had suffered several injuries and was not breathing.
Officials said medics took the boy to Ascension Macomb-Oakland hospital. He was later airlifted to Children's Hospital of Michigan in Detroit, where he died from his injuries.
Extensive bruising
Chulo had extensive bruising on his abdomen, which was bloated and distended, the prosecutor said.
She said the boy was kept in a pen in his mother's bedroom. He was beaten, bound to the wall by his clothing with a staple gun and his face forced into the corner, she said.
McDonald said he had also been shot with a BB gun. She added the boy had to try to sleep on a wooden plank that measured 11 inches by 36 inches and a black curtain was hung so he could not see outside.
"All children have a right to grow up in a home free of fear," she said. "This child and his siblings suffered unimaginable abuse and lived in fear every day."
Officials said a video camera was installed in the bedroom to enable the defendants to monitor the boy in his corner when they were not at home.
McDonald also said the two conspired to tell police the boy's father was responsible for his death.
"Jennings falsely told police that she left Chulo with his biological father when she went to work that morning, and the boy was uninjured prior to being with his father," she said. "Based on the investigation to date, there's no evidence the boy's father took part in the crimes."
Officials said they uncovered evidence that Jennings encouraged Giacchina to beat her son. They also found text messages the two exchanged about his beatings and laughed about some of the abuse.
In one example, Giacchina texted Jennings that he had solved the problem of keeping the boy's face in the corner by stapling his clothes he was wearing to the wall and sent her a photo of it, McDonald said.
She said he was allegedly being punished for looking out the window.
Testimony from 4-year-old brother
Investigators said they interviewed the boy's 4-year-old brother about the day his sibling died.
"He told them 'Danny shot (the younger boy) in the leg with a BB gun' and showed him the wound," McDonald said. "He told the interviewer, 'Danny shot Chulo in the buttocks.' He also said about Chulo's death: 'Chulo died all day and Danny was there.'"
Investigators said Chulo was under Giacchina's care at the home the day he died, along with the boy's two younger siblings and an unrelated 5-year-old.
"This was the first time we encountered Giovanni and learned about his failing condition," LeMerise said. "Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries."
Police said they arrested three suspects — the child's mother, her boyfriend and the boy's father — in connection with the 6-year-old's death. Investigators released the child's father after confirming his alibi.
LeMerise said the boy's mother and her boyfriend were initially charged with lying to the police. He said Giacchina was wanted on weapons warrants.
"Giovanni had to endure a tragic situation," the chief said. "We will continue to work with the prosecutor's office to build this case and provide justice for him."
cramirez@detroitnews.com
@CharlesERamirez
