CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A mother and boyfriend have been charged in the death of a 20-month-old. The baby was found at the Best Western on Woodlawn Road in Charlotte on Tuesday.
The baby's face was bruised, and there was blood in the bed, according to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. The child was rushed to the hospital, and later died.
On Wednesday, NBC Charlotte learned 20-month-old Jaheim had two siblings that were also in the hotel room Tuesday.
Jaheim suffered abuse at the hands of his own mother, Yasmine Richardson, and her boyfriend Daquan McFadden, police told NBC Charlotte.
"That was my grandson, you know I loved him," Patrick Steele said.
Steele told NBC Charlotte about his previous custody battle over Jaheim.
"I brought a ton of evidence, even evidence from a daycare where they were saying they were being neglected," Steele said.
He said a judge denied his request and instead granted Richardson custody of her son. A couple of months later, the baby was dead.
"It's like the system don't work," Steele said. "I'll put it to you this way, if my grandson is dead the system must not work because I tried to do everything legal tit-for-tat and it didn't work, and now I got to figure out how to bury my grandson."
McFadden was arranged Wednesday on murder charges and felony child abuse. Richardson refused to show and was also charged with felony child abuse.
A social worker told the judge the baby had extensive, old injuries that happened before his death.
That was something Steele feared.
"I've seen things, I told social service," he said.
Steele came to the Mecklenburg County court Wednesday hoping to look his daughter and her boyfriend in the eye. He does not want the judge to be lenient.
Richardson's mother was there to speak on behalf of her daughter -- saying she deserves a lower bond in order to get out of jail and grieve the loss of her son. She contended her daughter was not the one who killed the baby.
The judge left the bond unchanged at $50,000. The next court date is August 14.