A boxer was charged with murder following the death of his girlfriend’s 2-year-old son.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a press release on Thursday, October 15, that the incident took place on September 29 when Kishawn Porter was taking care of his girlfriend’s three children, ages 2, 3 and 4 years old.
Around 4 a.m. on September 29, Porter, 23, called 911 and claimed that the 2-year-old boy had fallen off a bunk bed. The child was then taken to Banner Desert Hospital for treatment, where he was discovered to have suspicious torso and rib injuries. The boy was pronounced dead later that morning.
Porter has since been indicted on one count of first-degree murder, a class one dangerous felony and dangerous crime against children, as well as one count of child abuse, a class two dangerous felony and dangerous crime against children.
It is not currently clear if Porter has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following his arrest.
Porter’s case is scheduled to go to trial in June 2027.
The boxer was charged shortly after he was initially arrested on September 29 in connection to the boy’s death. He was not formally charged at the time of his arrest.
“Mr. Porter hit and punched the 2-year-old victim multiple times with either his hands and/or a sandal,” a prosecutor with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office claimed during the defendant’s first court appearance, according to Arizona Family.
The Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy on September 30, which revealed the boy suffered catastrophic internal trauma that included both healing and acute rib fractures, a lacerated liver and stomach, torn intestinal blood vessels and a transected pancreas. The medical examiner also found that the boy had about 500 milliliters of blood pooling in his abdomen.
“According to the medical examiner, it takes a substantial amount of force to lacerate the stomach, and the injuries were less likely to be caused by a fall and were all consistent with child abuse,” court records state, per the outlet. “Based on the injuries, no one could have survived the severity.”
Forensic experts said they believe Porter has a history of abuse, pointing to the healing rib fractures on the boy that indicated he had been abused before his death.
“That’s a very, very big finding, because that means this wasn’t the only attack,” forensic psychiatrist Dr. Roy Lubit said. “The idea of beating and killing an infant indicates an almost basic lack of humanity. We haven’t established that he’s guilty, but an individual who would do the acts that are alleged would almost be overwhelmingly likely to be a psychopath.”
Detectives also believe that Porter abused his own 1-year-old based on findings in the investigation.
If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
