FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, February 10, 2017
Gravesend Man Indicted for Murder of 3-Year-Old Boy
Beating Left Victim Brain Dead, Cause of Death was Abusive Head and Neck Trauma
Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that a Gravesend man has been indicted on murder and other charges following a recent ruling by the Office of the New York City Medical Examiner that the defendant’s beating caused the death of his girlfriend’s 3-year-old son, Jaden Jordan. He was previously charged with assault in December.
Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Jaden Jordan was a helpless, defenseless child who the defendant was supposed to be caring for. Instead, he allegedly beat him so severely that the little boy died. We are determined to see that he is held responsible for this senseless and very tragic loss.”
The Acting District Attorney identified the defendant as Salvatore Lucchesse, 24, of Gravesend, Brooklyn. The defendant was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Deborah Dowling on an indictment charging him with one count of second-degree murder, one count of first-degree manslaughter and one count of endangering the welfare of a child. He was ordered held without bail and to return to court on March 6, 2017. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted of the top count.
The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, the victim, Jaden Jordan, 3, was left home alone with the defendant while the victim’s mother was at work, between approximately 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., on November 28, 2016. At some point while in the defendant’s care, the toddler allegedly defecated on himself. At approximately 4:30 p.m., emergency personnel responded to the victim’s home after the defendant called 911 and reported that the child was unconscious.
The victim, found soiled and unresponsive, was taken to Coney Island Hospital and then transferred to Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center where he remained after falling into a coma. Later examination revealed that Jaden had sustained severe head trauma and a fractured skull. He was removed from life support on Saturday, December 3, 2016, and died the same day. The Office of the New York City Medical Examiner last week ruled the death a homicide, finding the cause of death to be abusive head and neck trauma.
The case is being investigated by New York City Police Detective Janet Pena of the 61st Precinct Detective Squad and Detective Michael Habert of the Brooklyn South Homicide Squad.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Linda Weinman, of the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Special Victim’s Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Kelly Casey, Deputy Bureau Chief, under the overall supervision of Assistant District Attorney Miss Gregory, Chief.
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An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.