Bronx Baby Dies After Brutal Assault by Mother's Boyfriend

On August 28th, 2025, a tragic incident occurred in the Bronx, New York. A 1-year-old girl, Imani-Dior Monique Mitchell, was brutally assaulted by her mother's boyfriend, Jerome Thomas, while the mother was out getting groceries.

When the mother, LeNesha Mitchell, returned home 45 minutes later, she found her daughter semiconscious and struggling to breathe, with severe bruising on her face and head. Thomas, who had been dating Mitchell for four months, admitted to police that he had struck the baby twice on the side of the head with a "heavy hand," causing her to cry.

Medics rushed the critically injured child to Harlem Hospital, where she was initially listed in critical but stable condition. However, her condition quickly deteriorated, and she had to be placed on a ventilator and life support. Doctors tried desperately to save her life, even removing a part of her skull in an attempt to relieve the pressure from her brain swelling, but ultimately, she could not recover.

One week after the incident, on September 6th, 2025, the baby girl tragically passed away from the injuries allegedly inflicted by her mother's boyfriend. The loss has devastated the family, with LeNesha Mitchell describing her daughter as "the light" who "changed" her and made her feel more confident as a first-time mother.

Thomas was arrested the day after the incident and charged with felony assault and endangering the welfare of a child. He was arraigned in Bronx Criminal Court and ordered held without bail.