Tortured for days by cousin: Boy (†15) suffocates in agony in bathtub
New York City/USA - After a woman tortured her cousin for days and then killed him, she has now been convicted.
43-year-old Johnette Booker was sentenced to 20 years in prison in February, according to a police press release issued yesterday (Monday).
People reported that she was found guilty on all charges, including manslaughter and assault.
Her cousin, 15-year-old Jallen McConnie, died back in June 2021 in the US city of New York after Booker tortured him for a full 32 days.
According to officials, McConnie was autistic and was sent to the 43-year-old by his adoptive sister because he was not behaving properly at home.
During his stay with his cousin, he was beaten several times and forced to sleep on the floor or stand in a corner for hours.
He was also refused to take his medication.
Jallen McConnie was brutally tortured by his cousin
On the day of the murder, Booker beat the 15-year-old with a belt for over an hour, leaving him with bruises all over his body.
According to police, two other people joined the 43-year-old and shortly afterwards dragged the boy into the bathroom, where they ordered him to open his mouth and ran water down his throat.
The teenager collapsed in the bathtub and suffocated in agony. Booker initially refrained from calling the emergency services and lied to the police.
She explained that she had not been at home at the time of the crime and that the 15-year-old had been attacked by teenagers in the park. Shortly afterwards, she stated that the boy had committed suicide.
It is unclear whether the other two people have been charged and what sentence they have to serve.
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for the 15-year-old's bereaved family to help them with the design of the headstone as well as the funeral service.