The parents of a 9-year-old Pennsylvania boy who was found murdered in May were charged on Wednesday in connection with his death.
Jean Charles, 40, allegedly strangled his son, Azuree Charles, dragged his body over an embankment, and tried to hide it under a lawn chair and cooler behind a neighbor’s shed in New Kensington. A shovel was also used during the ordeal, according to the Tribune Live.
Mother Luella Elien was accused of giving Jean access to their son despite him abusing the boy between November and May 1. She also let him stay at her home even though he had an active arrest warrant for punching their son in the eye in November.
Jean was arrested in connection with that case a day after Azuree’s body was found.
According to WPXI, Azuree was found partially buried with his pajamas hanging from a nearby tree branch. A shovel and the slain boy’s bike, which were found also near his body, reportedly had his DNA on them.
Court papers stated that a young neighbor heard Azuree scream, “No, no, no, I’m sorry,” before a resident discovered his body.
Shortly before his murder, Azuree had a tracheostomy tube removed which helped him to eat and talk. Reports also indicated that he was a cancer survivor.
Jean is charged with first-degree murder, criminal homicide, abuse of a corpse, unlawful restraint of a minor by a parent, strangulation, concealing the death of a child, and tampering with physical evidence.
Elien was charged with being an accomplice to the aggravated assault of a child, child endangerment, and hindering the apprehension or prosecution of another person.
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[Featured image: Azuree Charles/Twitter]
