A mother and her boyfriend face capital murder charges in death of 1-year-old. What we know

The mother of a 1-year-old who was beaten to death in Jackson and the mother's boyfriend are facing capital murder charges, according to Sam Brown, Public Information Officer at the Jackson Police Department.

Jackson Police issued the arrest warrants Saturday evening. This came after a $10,000 bond on a felony child abuse charge was granted Wednesday to Yolanda Hunter.

Hunter is said to have left her child in the care of Herman Coleman also known as Herman Arthur Gardner, the boyfriend, on the day the baby died.

Through previous investigations, JPD said Coleman was in "close proximity" of the child shortly before the baby stopped breathing.

According to Brown, neither individual is in police custody. Coleman's whereabouts are still unknown.

On Dec. 21, JPD and AMR responded to a call at Sunset Apartments, where the toddler was found severely beaten and unresponsive.

During a Dec. 22 press conference, Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade said the child was taken to the University of Mississippi Medical Center with a "massive amount of trauma and bruising to their body.”

The child died at the hospital, making the loss of life the 108th homicide in Jackson in 2023. Wade said during the news conference that the beating was not a one-time occurrence based on evidence.

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Four other children who were at the residence at the time of the incident went into the custody of Child Protection Services.

Some media outlets have reported the children are now in the custody of their grandmother. However, Brown said he knows nothing pertaining to those reports.

The Clarion Ledger reached out to CPS to confirm if the children were in their care. Shannon Warnock, a spokeswoman for CPS, said by the law, the department cannot comment on the case or details regarding any children that may have or may not have been in its custody.

Warnock did provide a statement, "Our hearts grieve when a child dies, and it is the worst thing in the world. As an agency, our job/role is to protect children. And when we hear of this, it is heartbreaking."

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Charges upgraded in death of Jackson MS 1-year-old