New Jersey boyfriend viciously beat 2-year-old to death with belt as mom silently watched toddler's bones break
PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY: Court documents have revealed shocking details into the August 10, 2018 death of a toddler named Joseph "JoJo" Garbosky III. As per documents, the two-year-old’s mother, Candice Jones, watched and did nothing while her boyfriend John Colan Powers called the child “retard” and then mercilessly hit him to death.
Both the accused were arrested in August 2018 after the tragic death of JoJo, but recently the 32-year-old entered a plea deal in which she confessed to child neglect in exchange for a jail term between three and 15 years as punishment. While her 47-year-old partner entered into a "best-interest plea", where he pleaded guilty to death of a child by parent or guardian under which one can face a possible sentence of 15 years to life imprisonment. But Powers’ "best-interest plea" means he did not confess guilt and insisted that he had no memory of what happened. “Even though he says he has an absent memory and is unable to specifically admit to the acts that led to the death of JoJo Garbosky, he’s given up his right to trial and exposed himself to a life sentence plus two, two to 10-year sentences. If the court imposes the sentences consecutively, he would not be eligible for parole consideration until he had served 19 years in the penitentiary, and then it’s a lifetime exposure, so he may never make it out of prison,” Prosecuting Attorney George Sitler said to the court. While Jones said she was too "afraid" to say anything to her beau, who “repeatedly threatened to kill her”.
According to The Sun, a court was told how the mother watched while Powers was using a belt to beat JoJo. The boyfriend also body slammed the young boy into a bathtub as he struggled with potty training. Besides, as stated in the court documents, JoJo was forced face-first onto the floor by Powers, who shook him in a vigorous manner three to five minutes "with both hands by the throat and the back of his head”. But the mum’s boyfriend has maintained that he did not remember any of those things that led to JoJo’s death. Powers has also been accused of breaking numerous bones of the child and causing him to suffer retinal hemorrhages, brain bleeds and blood clots, court documents said.
Authorities also claimed that despite knowing the severity of the child’s condition, both the suspects did not take him to the hospital and two days later he succumbed to his injuries after he was eventually admitted. Jones and Powers will be sentenced later in October.
However, this was not the first child abuse case against Powers. Earlier also, he has faced 13 months prison term for child neglect, the Bluefield Daily Telegraph reported. Referring to the current case, the mother of the child whom Powers abused earlier said: “So now here’s a little boy that had to die because the state hasn’t done a damn thing to keep him locked up.”
David Hart, father of Jones, said: “We’re not happy with it. I don’t think Candice really realizes the severity of what’s happened. You know, we lost a grandson, and still today she has not shown any remorse when we talk to her or anything on any of this. And I just don’t think the sentencing is right. I think she needs more time. She needs to know the severity of the crime she’s done. I don’t know what else to say about that, I really don’t.” Hart also commented on Powers and added: “We’re not happy with either one of them. I think they ought to release him to me. That would be taken care of.”
