6-year-old dies after stepfather allegedly beat him with baseball bat

Police in southeast Connecticut are investigating after a man allegedly fatally beat his 6-year-old stepson with a baseball bat in what detectives are calling a brutal domestic violence attack on the boy, his younger brother and their mother.

Abdulrahim Sulaiman, 38, was arrested on charges including felony murder with special circumstances and violating probation in connection to the killing of Jathan Escobar, who the Bridgeport Police Department reported died as a result of injuries suffered in the Sept. 25 assault.

The attack took place at his family’s Bridgeport apartment in a residential neighborhood about 20 miles southwest of New Haven, north of Long Island, New York.

On Wednesday, police announced the boy died at a hospital after being in critical condition for one week.

The suspect had a criminal history which included violent felony convictions, court documents show. The Department of Children and Family had interacted with the victims about two months prior to the boy’s death, state officials confirmed to USA TODAY.

“The Bridgeport Police Department’s thoughts and prayers are with his entire family and friends,” the agency posted in a news release.

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Boy, sibling and mother all suffered life-threatening injuries from blunt force trauma

On the day of the attack, police wrote in the release, officers responded at 10 a.m. to an apartment building in the city for a report of a domestic violence call.

“Please help us,” the boy’s mother yelled to a dispatcher after dialing 911, according to an incident report obtained by People. “He’s hitting us with a bat!” Not long after, the report continues, surveillance video captured the suspect “jumping out of an upper window and landing headfirst into a garbage dumpster before swinging the bat around.”

At the scene, witnesses directed officers towards a man walking away from the area of the assault, police wrote, and detained the suspect. Additional officers entered the building and found a 33-year-old woman and her two children, 4 and 6, all suffering from life-threatening injuries sustained from what they said was blunt force trauma.

Officers began life saving procedures and responding medical personnel transported the victims to area hospitals. The mother and her children all in critical condition when they arrived at the hospital, police said. The condition of the woman and her 4-year-old child were later upgraded to stable.

A preliminary investigation by detectives found the woman and her children were “brutally assaulted” by the suspect detained outside the apartment. Police identified the suspect as Sulaiman and said the victims knew their alleged attacker.

At the scene, police arrested Sulaiman on multiple charges including attempted murder and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Prosecutors upgraded one of the attempted murder charges after the boy died.

Sulaiman, who police said lives in Bridgeport, was arraigned Sept. 26 at Bridgeport Superior Court. On Monday he remained jailed without bond.

Court records show his case is being handled by the public defender’s office.

“Mr. Sulaiman will be arraigned on Thursday, October 10th, over the next few months all of the evidence will be reviewed by myself and Mr. Sulaiman,” Bridgeport Judicial District Public Defender James J. Pastore told USA TODAY Monday. “Afterward, we will decide how to proceed with the case. At this point, Mr. Sulaiman is cloaked with the presumption of innocence.”

‘He was always so happy’

The boy’s cousin, Sasha Heron, said Jathan was on a ventilator prior to his death, WFSB-TV reported last week.

“He was always so happy and he just enjoyed life altogether,” Heron told the outlet. “No matter what was going on, he was always so happy with everybody.”

Jathan’s aunt, Sandra Escobar, also told the outlet Jathan’s mother said the suspect threatened to kill her and the children and the family had reported the abuse to authorities. The family said Jathan’s mother and Sulaiman had only been married “a couple of months.”

“Today, my sweet 6-year-old nephew made his final journey as he gives the ultimate gift of life through organ donation,” Jathan’s aunt Anna Escobar wrote in a fundraiser she created to help the family with funeral and medical expenses. “After suffering unimaginable pain and losing his life due to a brutal and senseless act, he leaves behind a legacy of hope for others. His heart, full of love, will beat on, and his light will continue to shine through the lives he saves.”

As of Monday more than 300 people had raised about $14,000 to help the family.

“Though we are shattered, we honor his strength, innocence, and the selfless act that will help others live,” the boy’s aunt wrote. “We will not rest until those who failed them are held accountable.”

USA TODAY has reached out to Jathan’s family.

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‘Shocking and horrendous incident’ remains under investigation

On Friday, Bridgeport Superior Court records show, police also issued a warrant for Sulaiman’s arrest on a charge he violated probation in connection to an October 2021 assault. He pleaded guilty to charges of assault on a public safety officer, risk of injury to a child and violation of a protective order in September 2022, the records show and was sentenced to two years in prison followed by four years of probation.

Connecticut Department of Child and Family Services Commissioner Jodi Hill-Lilly told USA TODAY the agency is conducting a joint investigation with the Bridgeport Police Department after being notified of the boy’s killing.

“This shocking and horrendous incident once again draws attention to the escalation of domestic violence in our communities and the traumatic impact it has on children,” the commissioner released in a statement following the boy’s death. “Our sincere condolences are with this little boy’s family who now grieve his loss, as well as his friends, classmates and others who knew and interacted with him.”

“At the time of the incident, the department was not involved with the mother and children but had interacted with them approximately two months prior to the report being received,” Hill-Lilly said.

The commissioner said she could not comment further on the investigation as the case remains active and open.

If you or someone you love is experiencing domestic violence call The National Domestic Abuse Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or visit www.thehotline.org. Callers can remain anonymous.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.