Disabled teen’s cousin guilty of brutally beating, killing him in her Manhattan apartment

The older relative of a disabled 15-year-old lad has been convicted of brutally beating him with a loop successful a savage hour-long onslaught successful her Upper West Side apartment, past forcing h2o down his throat, causing the susceptible youth’s death, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced Friday.

Johnette Booker, 43, was recovered blameworthy of manslaughter, pack battle and assault, among different charges, successful the horrific slaying of Jallen McConnie, her 15-year-old cousin. As proven astatine trial, McConnie died aft Booker and 2 different relatives mercilessly bushed and whipped him with belts during a prolonged onslaught successful her flat astatine the Wise Towers, a NYCHA development, connected W. 94th St. adjacent Columbus Ave. connected June 28, 2021.

Booker “physically and emotionally tortured her special-needs cousin, successful what tin lone beryllium described arsenic perfectly shocking and horrific behavior,” Manhattan D.A. Alvin Bragg said successful a connection announcing the conviction. “Instead of providing him with emotion and attraction erstwhile she assumed the relation of caregiver by taking him into her location for the summer, she preyed connected him, and her actions and omissions caused his tragic death. No kid should ever beryllium treated this way, and I convey our prosecutors for their hard enactment to present accountability successful this case,” Bragg said.

Jallen — who had been diagnosed with post-traumatic accent disorder, attraction shortage hyperactivity upset and oppositional defiant disorder, and was suspected of having autism — was visiting Booker for the summertime from his location successful Georgia, wherever helium lived with his adopted sister, who was his ineligible guardian.

Jallen had been successful New York City astir a period earlier helium died, having stayed with Booker since precocious May. In that time, “[f]or the 32 days helium was successful the defendant’s care, helium was repeatedly physically and emotionally tortured,” including by being beaten, forced to slumber connected the floor, and made to look the partition and bash strenuous exercises for hours astatine a time, according to tribunal records.

The Daily News reported successful October 2021 that Booker’s brother, Mitchaux Booker, who besides lived successful the apartment, admitted to beating Jallen connected the time helium died due to the fact that the teen had interrupted him portion helium was watching Netflix.

After assaulting Jallen for much than an hr successful her surviving room, Booker and different household subordinate brought Jallen to the bath and “forced h2o down his throat” until helium collapsed successful the bathtub, according to prosecutors. His origin of decease was determined to beryllium homicidal asphyxia, oregon suffocation.

Booker didn’t telephone 911 until hours aft Jallen collapsed, and repeatedly lied to investigators astir her involvement, according to the D.A. statement.

Mitchaux Booker, 36, was arrested connected July 1, 2 days aft Jallen died.

Johnette Booker and different relative, Joevon McConnie, were arrested astir a twelvemonth later, successful May 2022. Johnette Booker initially told investigators she wasn’t location astatine the clip of the attack, according to the D.A., but investigators yet uncovered her involvement.

Joevon McConnie was sentenced to 3.5 years successful authorities situation successful June 2024 aft pleading blameworthy to assault.

Mitchaux Booker’s lawsuit is inactive unfastened and pending. He is adjacent owed successful tribunal March 12.