6-Year-Old Boy Dies After Family Punishes Him For Doing Something That Upset Them, Mother, Siblings Charged

A North Chicago mother is facing murder charges after her 6-year-old son’s body was found near an abandoned home in Gary, Indiana. The victim’s siblings are also facing relevant charges, authorities said.

Damari Perry was reported missing on Jan. 5, and at the time, his mother, 38-year-old Jannie M. Perry told police that on Jan. 4, the boy and his 16-year-old sister were taken on a playdate to Skokie, Illinois, by a woman named "Monique" and a man named "Wacko/Chaos”.

Damari’s sister reported that she passed out after having several drinks at the party, only to wake up the next morning and realize she was all alone at the residence.

Lake County State's Attorney Eric Rinehart said the Skokie story was "completely false."

After the family's story was contradicted by evidence, investigators quickly turned their focus from Skokie to the boy's home in North Chicago, according to the Lake County State's Attorney's office.

Damari's body was discovered in an alley in Gary, Indiana, on Saturday, Jan. 8.

Prosecutors say that on Dec.23, Damari "did something to upset his family" for which he was forced to stay under a cold shower for an undetermined amount of time, as a punishment.

Damari was removed from the shower when he started vomiting, prosecutors said. The child eventually died but the family members didn't call for medical attention, according to officials.

According to the prosecutors, following the death, Jannie and her older son, 20-year- old Jeremiah R. Perry, talked about disposing of the body, and later decided to dump him in Gary.

"Information from witnesses led to the discovery of Damari's body in Lake County, Indiana," the statement reads.

Jannie faces charges of first-degree murder and concealment of a homicidal death. Jeremiah was charged with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm to a child under 12, concealing a homicidal death, and obstructing justice.

"Another juvenile sibling of Damari faces charges in Lake County's Juvenile Court," reads the statement, noting that "all three were taken into custody Friday night."

During Jeremiah’s court hearing on Sunday, the judge ordered him to be held on a $3 million bail, according to the Lake County State's Attorney's office.

More charges could be filed in the coming days as the investigation progresses, prosecutors stated.