Family Looking For Answers After Baby's Beating Death

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Family members of a 2-year-old beaten to death want to know why it happened.

They were in court Wednesday when 21-year-old Quran Mitchell was officially charged with second-degree murder in the death of Joshua Isaiah Lockhart, Jr.

Police found the 2-year-old not breathing Saturday night. He died from his injuries the next day.

The boy's mother was busy making funeral arrangements Wednesday but several of her relatives and friends were in court. They were there for support and to hopefully get a glimpse of the man they say deserves to pay for what he's accused of doing.

Myrnece Harris, the mother's cousin, says her relative was excited about the future of her boy.

"She had big plans for her baby," Harris said.

She says no one in the family expected to get a call this weekend that Joshua was in the hospital.

"When the baby ended up in the hospital is when we found out about everything," Harris said. "We didn't know anything. We never knew they were living together."

Harris says Mitchell, the accused killer, and her cousin have known each other since they were teens and began dating about 7 months ago.

They had been living together for two months in a room inside a house in Crystal.

The couple who rented to them told police they heard loud sounds coming from the bedroom and the toddler crying, but never called to report it.

"There is a cultural difference," said Crystal Police Chief Stephanie Revering, adding the family is not from the United States and didn't think it was their place to call authorities.

She says Joshua's mother is also a victim.

"The mom has been scared for a long time for her own safety, for her child's safety," she said. "She is in deep devastation."

Her family says she is now the victim of threats.

"People have been making post saying she should kill herself," said Kayla Davis, another one of the mother's cousins.

She says it is Mitchell people should have issue with.

Mitchell was on probation at the time of Joshua's death. He was sentenced to 90 days in the workhouse on a domestic assault conviction, he was given credit for 88 days.

In court Wednesday, bail was set at $700,000, but even if Mitchell comes up with 10 percent, he won't be getting out of jail.

There is the issue of a probation violation that has to be cleared up before he gets a conditional release.

Mitchells' next court appearance is March 13.