Dominique Servant and Joey Ruffin are two accused killers from Illinois who have been charged with the murder of a eight year old boy
According to police reports emergency personnel would go to a home in Round Lake Beach Illinois where they would find an eight year old boy unresponsive. According to emergency personnel the boy appeared to be severely malnourished and had bruising all over his body. Unfortunately they were unable to save the child
Police would arrest the boys mother Dominique Servant and her boyfriend Joey Ruffin who have been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of child endangerment causing death
Another child in the home had also had signs of long term abuse
Dominique Servant And Joey Ruffin News
A mother and her boyfriend are facing murder charges in the death of their 8-year-old boy at a Round Lake Beach apartment on Friday, with police saying the boy was abused and malnourished long-term.
The Round Lake Beach Police Department and Greater Round Lake Fire Protection District responded around 2:05 p.m. Friday to a report of an unresponsive child at an apartment at the Cedar Villas Apartments in the 1900 block of North Cedar Lake Road, Lake County Major Crime Task Force Spokesman Christopher Covelli said.
Police officers arrived on scene and immediately performed CPR on an 8-year-old boy, Covelli said.
Paramedics arrived afterwards and took over life-saving efforts on the boy and rushed him to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where he was pronounced dead, Covelli said.
“First responders noticed the child appeared malnourished and had bruising on his body,” Covelli said. “Based on the suspicious injuries and circumstances, Round Lake Beach Police requested the assistance of the Lake County Major Crime Task Force.”
Major crime task force investigators and police detectives found evidence that the 8-year-old boy had been experiencing long-term neglect, physical abuse and mental abuse, Covelli said.
The boy’s mother – Dominique Servant, 33 – and her boyfriend – Joey L. Ruffin, 38 – were both arrested Friday evening.
The boy’s 10-year-old sibling was interviewed at the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center and was admitted to a hospital due to signs of abuse and malnourishment, Covelli added.
The Lake County Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy on the boy Friday evening.
Although autopsy results are not yet finalized, preliminary findings show the boy was consistently malnourished and physically abused.
The preliminary autopsy findings are consistent with evidence found by investigators at the apartment, Covelli said.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office approved two counts of first-degree murder and one count of child endangerment causing death against Servant and Ruffin.
Dominique Servant and Joey Ruffin are scheduled to appear at the Lake County Courthouse for their first appearance hearings Sunday morning.
Prosecutors are planning on filing petitions to deny Ruffin and Servant’s pre-trial releases.
Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart released a statement Saturday evening on the case, calling it a “horrific crime.”
“This eight-year old child should still be alive, and this horrific crime was preventable. In light of the ongoing nature of this investigation, the moral mandate that we secure justice, and the need to hold every responsible party accountable, we will be providing limited information prior to a full presentment of charges to the grand jury,” Rinehart said.
“I will say this: if you see signs of a child being abused or malnourished, report it. If you need help as a parent, get it. If you are abusing your child, stop it now. If you are abusing your child or criminally neglecting their basic needs, and that child dies, you will be prosecuted for murder in Lake County,” Rinehart added.
The case remains under investigation by the Lake County Major Crime Task Force and Round Lake Beach Police Department.
