The parents of a 5-week-old boy who died at a Richmond hospital on Feb. 4 have been charged with murder, felony child abuse and assault on a child causing death, according to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.
RayRay Andrederral Darn, 35, and Marilyn Northington, 28, were also charged with an enhancement tied to the child abuse charge of willful harm causing injury or death, the DA’s Office said.
Darn and Northington, who have two other small children, had been staying at the Marriott Courtyard Hotel at 3150 Garrity Way in Richmond, which is currently being used to house people struggling from homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Richmond Police Department. At about 6:30 p.m. Thursday, an employee at the Marriott called 911 to say a couple had rushed out of the hotel with their infant baby. The parents told the employee their child was not breathing and they were going to the hospital, police said. The baby was pronounced dead at the hospital.
“Visible injuries were seen on the baby, including burn marks on his face and his right leg appeared broken and had been burned,” prosecutors said. “A circular mark was present on the baby’s leg where the burn injury occurred. Additionally, the baby appeared severely malnourished.”
In their hotel room, a meth pipe and two butane lighters were found after police executed a search warrant.
Added prosecutors: “An autopsy conducted by the Coroner’s Office found the victim had suffered from the following injuries: broken right femur, facial scarring, dehydration and malnourishment, bruising on the top of his right thigh, thermal burns on his nose and right cheek, and thermal burns to his lower part of his body. An internal examination by the Coroner’s Office found internal injuries consisting of seven fractured ribs, bleeding inside his skull and a skull fracture.”
The parents were set to appear in court today for their arraignment. The bail for each is $2,200,000.
At the time of their arrest, the couple’s two other small children were taken into protective custody and turned over to Child Family Services (CFS).
