A baby who was allegedly sexually tortured and abused by his mother and her boyfriend died on his first birthday.
Police say that Hoss Wayne Benham suffered 89 injuries across his body on March 11 2014, which was the day he turned one.
Lifeposts.com
The baby’s mother, Crystal Ballenger and her boyfriend, Jeffery Hugh Brown, have been charged with capital murder.
It’s reported that the pair initially said Hoss had drowned in the bath at their trailer home in Cullman, Alabama.
The couple had rushed the unresponsive infant to hospital where he died.
But an autopsy revealed Hoss had 38 injuries on his head and neck sustained by blunt-force trauma.
He also had four injuries on each eye, 19 on his arms and legs, six on his torso and seven on his genitalia and anus.
Jeffery Hugh Brown and Crystal Ballenger
Cullman County Sheriff’s Office
According to prosecutors, the injuries indicate the baby suffered both physical and sexual torture from his mother and Brown.
After Hoss’ death, both tested positive for drugs including methamphetamine.
During a hearing this week, Brown’s trial was adjourned to a later date after a request by his attorney.
The Cullman Times
It’s unclear when Ballenger will appear before a judge again.
In October 2015, prosecutor Wilson Blaylock said, ‘it’s really unbelievable and just hard to read what happened to this infant child.
‘His last 36 hours were spent in horror and pain.’
The pair have been charged with sexual torture and capital murder during sexual abuse.
