Autopsy: Wichita toddler had visible injuries, weighed less than 15 pounds
A 2-year-old boy whose body was found by officers in a south Wichita mobile home had visible injuries, was in early stages of decomposition and weighed less that 15 pounds, an autopsy shows.
Officers found Zaiden's body late Thursday, April 11, while responding to a domestic disturbance at Riverside Mobile Home Park in the 4500 block of South Hydraulic.
His parents, 28-year-old Patrick Javonovich, and 22-year-old Brandi Marchant, had been arguing when officers arrived and were walking in a field near their home. They were separated and interviewed, according to an arrest affidavit.
Marchant discussed the argument was about wanting to go to a nearby gas station with Javonovich and did not mention that there were children in the home.
But Javonovich told police that Marchant was was upset about her 4-month-old son crying and that he walked away for a short time. He said that the argument continued when he returned and then walked to a gas station. He made reference to children being in the home.
Javonovich allowed the officers inside to check on the children but asked the officers not to wake them, the document says.
One officer could hear a baby "cooing" in one of the bedrooms and found the 4-month-old in a crib with pillows and stuffed animals inside. The baby was partially under a pillow that was up against the side of the crib.
The officer "noted the small stature of the child and that the child was not capable of controlling the weight of his head." The officer picked the baby up and checked another bedroom, finding a child, who had appeared to have thrown up, in a playpen.
It was Zaiden in the playpen, inside a "tightly wrapped" blanket in the form of a swaddle and his face was down.
He was not moving and cold to the touch. His arms were stuffed in his onesie pajamas on his torso. The arms of the pajamas were tied in a knot in his throat area.
Zaiden's side was "black, blue and purple and green in color," according to the affidavit. On the bed, there was a container of wipes with what appeared to be blood on them.
An officer attempted lifesaving measures, but emergency medical personnel pronounced him dead at 12:01 a.m.
The affidavit says Marchant's 4-month-old son was extremely malnourished and had a body temperature of 94.9 degrees. He had a bruise on his left ear, his jaw was swollen and two healing rib fractures. He was also suffering from severe diaper rash and a genital infection.
Javonovich told investigators he thought the baby was fine, adding that he regularly feeds and changes the child.
When asked about Zaiden, Javonovich said he fed the boy the morning of April 11 and did not see him after he got off work that day. He said he was unaware that Zaiden was dead.
Marchant told investigators she and Zaiden had been "feeling poorly for several days." She said she put Zaiden in his crib on Wednesday so she could rest but that he was able to pull himself out of the crib and would cry and his door.
"She 'swaddled' Zaiden by putting Zaiden's arms inside his clothing to try and prevent him from climbing out of the crib."
When he was still able to get out, she again put his arms in the pajamas, tied the sleeves in a knot and then swaddled him in a blanket to try to stop him from getting his arms out.
"She said she fed Zaiden three (3) bags of instant oatmeal, some yogurt, and some chocolate milk on Wednesday before putting him in his crib."
Marchant said she went to bed at around 6 a.m. Thursday and slept the entire day.
"She had not seen either child throughout the entire day and was unaware that Zaiden had died," the document says.
She said that when she woke up Thursday evening, that's when the argument between her and Javonovich started.
An autopsy found that Zaiden had abrasions on the inside and outside of his lips, nose abrasions and contusions to the head and trunk. It also found that he was in an early stage of decomposition. He weighed 14.9 pounds and was 31 inches long.
The document states Zaiden, who was 25 months old should have weighed about 28 pounds and been approximately 35 inches long.
A doctor said the abrasions on Zaiden's lips were consistent with his face being forced down onto something by someone pushing on the back of Zaiden's head.
Zaiden's parents were each charged with first-degree murder, two counts of child abuse and one count of aggravated child endangerment.