ELYRIA, Ohio — A 2-year-old boy is in a Cleveland ICU trying to recover from severe head injuries. This all happened earlier this month when the boy’s mother said she left her son with trusted relatives.
It was a terrible scene and an unthinkable phone call that Mariah Colon got the first week of August.
“She was like he fell, hit his head and he’s going to the hospital,” said Colon.
She told us she let her son Khiree spend some time with relatives and, all of a sudden, he ended up so badly hurt that doctors had to remove a part of his skull.
“(The trauma) caused his brain to swell and bleed so much they had to stop it or he wasn’t going to make it,” said Colon.
INJURIES NOT CONSISTENT WITH A FALL
She told us that because of how severe his injuries are, doctors and nurses told her they didn’t happen from a fall.
“It broke me down,” said Colon. “I cried and that’s all I could do is cry…couldn’t do anything else.”
He’s been in the hospital for nearly three weeks now. At one point, Colon said he was put in a medically induced coma. He’s awake now and made enough progress that they just took out his breathing tube a couple of days ago.
“This is a 2-year-old like literally fighting for his life,” said Colon. “And to go through all these repercussions because of two adults that I trusted? And, you know, it’s not fair to him.”
Little Khiree was initially sent to a hospital in Elyria, but as soon as doctors saw just how serious his injuries were, they immediately called police.
ELYRIA POLICE: 'ACTIVE INVESTIGATION'
“Our detectives have been working closely with physicians as well as Child Protective Services,” said Captain Bill Lantz from the Investigative Division of the Elyria Police Department. He confirmed there is an active investigation into what exactly happened to Khiree. They’ve done interviews, are reviewing medical records and will eventually present their findings to a grand jury.
“When it comes to children, in general, they’re the most innocent,” said Lantz. “They’re the ones that we definitely got to make sure we’re looking out for and we’re protecting.”
Colon hopes charges come soon for the relatives involved.
“I would like to see them in jail,” said Colon. “I mean, my son shouldn’t have to suffer and they’re still walking around here and not locked up yet.”
MOM: LITTLE BOY IS 'FIGHTING EVERY DAY'
As for Khiree, Colon said he’s fighting every day, making a little progress, but he was once a boy who could run around and talk in full sentences. He’s not doing that today.
"He’s definitely trying to relearn everything,” said Colon.
"He’s playing a little bit. We’re just trying to get him to talk…my son deserves justice. He shouldn’t have to go through this.”
