September 19, 2007
mom, boyfriend arrested after toddler killed
FOUND DEAD IN HIS JOLIETBED, 2-YEAR-OLD DEVIN OWENS WAS BRUTALLY
BEATEN, POLICE SAY.
Author: Brian Stanley; Staff Writer
JOLIET - A Joliet woman and her live-in boyfriend were arrested Tuesday after a 2-year-old boy was found dead in his bed.
"In all the years that I've been here, and many of the other veteran officers, none of us could think of a case where we have ever seen such a brutal beating," Joliet police Chief Fred Hayes said.
Julie B. Owens, 24, called 911 at 8:13 a.m. Tuesday, reporting she'd woken up and found her son, DevinOwens, wasn't breathing.
"He felt cold. There was blood on his nose and his mother told 911 operators she thought he might be dead," Hayes said.
Police say paramedics raced to 1301 N. Burry St. where they were met at the front door by Owens, who was holding Devin.
"They brought the child into the ambulance, but determined almost immediately that he was already deceased," Hayes said. "There are obvious signs of blunt trauma and we are conducting a homicide investigation."
Owens' 5-year-old and 10-month-old daughters also reside at the residence.
Police say Owens' boyfriend, 33-year-old Gilbert A. Knowles, also has been living in the house for about the last month. Owens and Devin's father are divorcing and there is a "for sale" sign in front of the single-story yellow house.
Police sealed off the property and obtained a search warrant Tuesday morning, but did not execute the warrant until evidence technicians who had assisted the WillCounty coroner's office with Devin's autopsy reached the scene.
Coroner Patrick K. O'Neil said the autopsy showed the toddler's death was caused by "multiple blunt-force trauma."
Hayes said Owens' boyfriend was not home when emergency personnel arrived. Owens said he had left for work at 6:30 a.m.
"He was contacted and requested to come back, but was stopped before he arrived by officers at Larkin Avenue and Vernon Street," he said. Hayes said the man's vehicle was pulled over because officers knew investigators were trying to contact him.
Arrests
Owens, Knowles and Devin's father were interviewed at the Joliet Police Station, Hayes said.
"Since the beginning of the investigation, police felt that the persons responsible were the caretakers of the child," Hayes said. "There were no obvious signs of forced entry and the neighbors did not report seeing any (intruders near the residence)."
Knowles was arrested Tuesday on one count of murder, while Owens, who is also legally known as Julie Miller, was charged with one felony count of endangering the life or health of a child. After being booked, Knowles and Owens were taken to the Will County Adult Detention Facility, where they will remain pending their court appearances today.
Devin's 5-year-old sister was interviewed at the WillCountyChildAdvocacyCenter.
Hayes said neither she nor her sister showed any signs of abuse or neglect.
Police are investigating the "possibility that this is the result of an ongoing pattern of abuse,"
Hayes said. Devin's father and other families suspected abuse but had not filed police reports.
Police called
Police have recently investigated two other incidents at the address.
On Sept. 3, an unknown suspect entered a rear window around 10:45 p.m. and removed a toolbox from the residence.
On Aug. 5, Owens reported seeing her husband damaging Knowles' vehicle.
Reporter Brian Stanley can be reached at (815) 729-6079 or .
Copyright, 2007, The Herald News. All rights reserved. REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED.
Record Number: 11C1CF8FBA611568