NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A New York City woman was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the torture-induced death of her teen cousin with special needs, which occurred one month after she took him into her home in the summer of 2021, prosecutors announced Monday.
Johnette Booker, 43, was found guilty last month of manslaughter, gang assault and endangering the welfare of a child, among other charges, in the death of 15-year-old Jallen McConnie.
The teen had lived in North Carolina and Georgia with his adoptive sister, who was his legal guardian, before she sent him to live with Booker. Prosecutors said that Booker referred to the period as “cousin boot camp,” a punishment for his misbehavior at home. McConnie had special needs, and was believed to be autistic.
During the month that the victim stayed with Booker in her Upper West Side apartment, she subjected him to repeated physical and emotional torture, officials said.
McConnie was on multiple occasions physically assaulted with belts, forced to sleep on the floor, to do intensive exercise, to hold heavy books over his head, scrub Booker’s floors and stand in corners in uncomfortable positions for long periods of time. He was also denied his prescription medications.
On June 28, 2021, Booker hit McConnie with belts on his arms, legs, body and face for over an hour in the living room. He was left with welts and bruises on his chest, back, face and limbs. Officials said that Booker acted alongside family members Mitchaux Booker and Joevon McConnie.
Booker later brought McConnie to the bathroom as one of the alleged co-conspirators ordered him to open his mouth and forced water down his throat, leading to his collapse in the bathtub, prosecutors said. Booker delayed calling for medical help
The teen’s cause of death was determined to be homicidal asphyxia.
In the aftermath of McConnie’s death, Booker developed a variety of lies, including that she was not home when the incident happened, that the teen was jumped by boys in the park and that he committed suicide.
“For over a month, Booker knowingly put Jallen McConnie through an excruciating level of abuse and trauma, up until the final moments of his life,” District Attorney Alvin Bragg said. “Booker will serve a significant prison term for this utterly horrific conduct and my thoughts remain with Mr. McConnie’s loved ones, who continue to grieve this devastating loss.”
Joevon McConnie pleaded guilty to assault last year for the beating and received a 3-and-a-half year sentence, while Mitchaux Booker, who is also charged in the killing, is awaiting trial.