CLEVELAND — The aunt and the boyfriend of the aunt of a 3-year-old Berea boy have been indicted for murder for his October 2018 death, which was determined to be caused by blunt force injury.
Kemari Hampton was placed in foster care custody in May of 2018, according to the Office of the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor. In October of 2018, Cuyahoga County Children and Family Services placed Hampton under the care of his aunt, 27-year-old India Rogers, and Rogers’ boyfriend, 29-year-old Jovan Switzer.
On the morning of October 23, 2018, Berea police were dispatched to Rogers’ and Switzers’ home near Sprague Road and Starlite Drive, where they found Hampton unresponsive, an official said. Firefighters from the Berea Fire Department transported the child to Southwest General Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The medical examiner determined Hampton’s cause of death was blunt force injuries, and the manner of death was homicide.
On Friday, May 31, 2019, a Grand Jury returned an indictment against Rogers and Switzer on charges of murder, involuntary manslaughter, felonious assault, permitting child abuse and two counts of endangering children, the prosecutor's office stated.
Warrants were issued on the indictment, and Rogers and Switzer were arrested on June 3, the prosecutor's office stated. Both were arraigned and pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court set bond at $500,000. Both are currently incarcerated at the Cuyahoga County Jail.
