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Crime News Breaking News

Man Allegedly Beat A 4-Year-Old Girl To Death For Spilling Juice On His Xbox

Police said Johnathan Fair, 19, later told them he had shaken the girl “really hard,” beat her and kicked her down the hall after the perceived offense.

By Jill Sederstrom

An Illinois man has been charged with murder after allegedly beating his girlfriend’s 4-year-old daughter to death after she spilled juice on his Xbox console, according to a prosecutor.

Johnathan Fair, 19, is facing four counts of first-degree murder after a Lake County grand jury indicted him Wednesday, according to the Lake County News-Sun.

Assistant State Attorney Steve Scheller said that Fair was babysitting Sklyar Mendez on the night of Dec. 13, when the incident took place. Fair allegedly told Waukegan police later that after the spill, he shook her “really hard,” beat her and kicked her down the hall. After she passed out from the attack, he brought her to the hospital claiming that she had fallen down the stairs and hit her head, the newspaper reports.

Although doctors tried to relieve swelling in Mendez’ brain, she died at the hospital four days later. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the death a homicide.

Scheller said doctors were also able to find evidence that she had suffered previous shaking and abuse in the months before her death.

The girl’s mother was not at home at the time of the fatal beating, Chicago news station WMAQ-TV reports.

Fair allegedly confessed the abuse to police and was arrested. He was initially charged with aggravated battery, however, the charges against him were enhanced by the grand jury, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Scheller said he plans to seek natural life in prison given the “heinous” nature of the crime if the case goes to trial.

Fair is currently being held at the Lake County jail on a $5 million bail.

[Photo: Lake County jail]

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