NEW YORK (1010 WINS) – A woman was convicted of torturing and fatally beating her 15-year-old cousin, a special needs child, with belts on his arms, legs, body, and face in June 2021, prosecutors announced Friday.
Johnette Booker, 43, was found guilty on all charges, including manslaughter, gang assault, and assault, among others, according to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr.
"Instead of providing him with love and care when she assumed the role of caregiver by taking him into her home for the summer, she preyed on him, and her actions and omissions caused his tragic death," Alvin said. "No child should ever be treated this way, and I thank our prosecutors for their hard work to deliver accountability in this case."
According to court documents, the victim, Jallen McConnie, a special needs child whom Booker believed to be autistic, was sent by his adoptive sister to live with Booker during the summer of 2021 at her Upper West Side apartment. Booker referred to the arrangement as "cousin boot camp," using it as punishment for what she perceived as misbehavior at home.
McConnie was there for 32 days and was physically assaulted multiple times with belts, forced to sleep on the floor, forced to sit facing the wall with his legs crossed for the majority of the day, forced to do intensive exercises, hold heavy books over his head, scrub her floor, stand in the corner touching his toes, and was denied his prescription medications, according to prosecutors.
On June 28, 2021, Booker hit McConnie with belts on his arms, legs, body and face for over an hour in the living room. McConnie's body was covered in welts and bruises, including on the chest, back, face, both arms and both legs.
After the beating, Booker brought McConnie to the bathroom and aided as a family member allegedly ordered McConnie to open his mouth and forced water down his throat. McConnie then collapsed in the bathtub.
A medical examiner deemed the cause of death to be homicidal asphyxia, prosecutors said.
Booker then delayed calling 911 and lied to EMS/FDNY, police, ACS, hospital personnel, and family members, prosecutors said. Booker had first said that she was not home during the incident and that McConnie was jumped outside of the home by boys in the park.
She later claimed that McConnie committed suicide and at one point filed a letter with the court falsely stating that she was in her bedroom when the incident happened and could not hear what was happening.
Booker was charged with manslaughter, assault, gang assault, and endangering the welfare of a child, facing multiple felony and misdemeanor counts.
