New details are emerging after a 4-year-old Indiana child passed away, allegedly at the hands of his own cousin.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, prosecutors on Friday charged Montrell Dionte Jolly, 33, in connection with the death of his cousin, Ke’Andre Shamar Jolly. Officials say the charges stem from July 28, when Lafayette police arrived to an apartment for a report of a child having a seizure. When paramedics arrived, they found the victim unconscious.
Initially it did not appear the boy was visibly injured, but medics later observed that his pupils appeared constricted and another seemed blown, which can be signs of a head injury.
Now, a recently-released probable cause indicates that police found the victim “soaking wet” and unresponsive in a smoky home filled with the smell of marijuana. Police found blood on the bathroom counter and sink, along with numerous bloodstains on the wall.
Medics rushed Ke’Andre to St. Elizabeth East hospital. He was then flown to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis but never regained consciousness and was pronounced dead on August 1. Medical staff suspected that the injuries were a result of “non-accidental trauma.”
During a subsequent interview, Jolly told investigators that he disciplined Ke’Andre by forcing him to do “wall sits” for putting his shoes on the wrong feet.
“Montrell described the wall sits as having Ke’andre sit with Ke’andre’s back against the wall in a squat position for a period of time while extending Ke’andre’s arms out in front of him,” the probable cause affidavit read.
“Montrell advised Ke’andre does wall sits daily. Montrell expressed frustration with Ke’andre’s dependence on his mother. Montrell advised Ke’andre was crying during the wall sits and was not doing them correctly, so Montrell moved Ke’andre to Montrell’s bedroom to do the wall-sits there so Montrell could supervise the wall sits better.”
When the child had to use the restroom, the suspect “got upset again because Ke’andre was going to sit on the toilet to urinate instead of standing ‘like a regular boy.”
“Montrell made Ke’andre stand to use the restroom and then return to the wall to do wall sits. Montrell described Ke’andre as continuing to cry and yell that he would put his shoes on the right feet.”
“Montrell said he let Ke’andre attempt to put his shoes on correctly, but he could not, so Montrell made Ke’andre do wall sits again. Montrell advised Ke’andre continued to whine but then suddenly stopped making any noise, so Montrell looked at Ke’andre and observed he was on the ground near the corner of the door frame with blood coming out of his mouth.”
An autopsy, however, revealed the boy suffered blunt force trauma to his head and had internal and external cuts, which was inconsistent with the defendant’s version of events.
Read the full affidavit below.
Montrell Jolly Probable Cause by Leigh Egan
Jolly is facing charges of murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in catastrophic injury, aggravated battery and battery resulting in death to a person less than 14 years old. He is also facing a charge as a habitual offender, as he was on probation after a 2022 conviction for possession of meth, according to the Journal & Courier.
Jolly is being held in the Tippecanoe County Jail without bail. He faces 45 to 65 years in prison if convicted on the murder charge alone.
The boy’s family has launched a GoFundMe account to raise money for his funeral.
“We are hurting deeply behind this because Ke’Andre didn’t deserve to go through the hurt, pain and injuries he suffered and died from,” the fundraiser reads.
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[Feature Photo: Ke’Andre Shamar Jolly/GoFundMe]
