Josiah Brown: Grieving dad says heart of boy, 3, drowned in Lake Michigan was donated to a 2-year-old
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Family of Josiah Brown, a three-year-old boy who was pushed into Lake Michigan off Navy Pier on September 19 has decided to donate their son's heart to a two-year-old in Canada. Little Josiah died on September 25 at 10.16 am in Lurie Children’s Hospital after six days of struggle.
His aunt, Victoria Moreno, was initially charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery to a child under 13. However, it was recently upgraded to first-degree murder after the child's death. Moreno tossed her nephew into the lake and watched him drown in the lake.
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An Instagram post of the boy's father, Dantrell Brown read, "Like father like son. While I’m in the hospital waiting on a heart transplant my sons heart is going to a 2year old baby boy in Canada..my Jedi jojo 💙 you saw daddy become a hero to many and I’ve witnessed you do the exact same." Further it read, "I love you so much bubba. Eat all the snacks you want in heaven I hope your stomach never gets full so you can enjoy all your favorite food and snacks."
On Tuesday, October 4, the attorney of Moreno claimed that she did not intentionally push her nephew into the water, but was instead standing over the toddler when he fell. According to Fox32News, the attorney also claimed Moreno has been diagnosed with anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder. However, the judge determined Moreno is a “danger to the community” and ordered her to be held without bail.
The woman had previously taken three children living at the family home to Navy Pier also without permission, reports CBS News. The child also suffered multiple heart attacks after he fell into the lake. Chicago Sun Times reported that the prosecutors claimed, "Moreno stole the keys to the family’s truck and snuck out of the residence without anyone knowing that she had left." Later, another aunt did not hear the boy talking “and became alarmed." That’s when she noticed Moreno and the boy were gone and the truck was missing. However, Moreno is already being held without bond.
In the initial hearing, Judge Susanna Ortiz described her act as "intentionally brutal and heinous." According to the child's family, the father was unable to visit his son in the hospital since he was a patient at Loyola Medical Center awaiting a heart transplant. The funeral for the little one took place on Wednesday, October 5.
If you or anyone you know suspects child abuse, you are urged to immediately call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential and the hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.