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DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A man was convicted of the Iowa beating death of the 5-year-old son of his girlfriend — a woman who testified against him and who also is awaiting sentencing.
A jury in Davenport found Tre Henderson guilty Thursday of first-degree murder and other crimes. The 28-year-old will be sentenced April 1 to life in prison without possibility of parole.
Prosecutors said little Ja'Shawn Bussell had 17 broken ribs, damage to a number of internal organs and bruises from the top of his head to his ankles after Henderson beat him on April 22, 2018. Ja'Shawn vomited several times over the next four days before being taken to a hospital, court records say. He was taken off life support and died May 1, the records say.
Henderson and the boy's mother, Jacqueline Rambert, are both from Chicago and were living in a Davenport apartment when the boy was assaulted, authorities have said. Davenport is about 160 miles (258 kilometers) west of Chicago.
In addition to the murder counts, both were charged with child endangerment for failing to seek prompt medical attention for the boy.
Rambert, 26, pleaded guilty last month to child endangerment resulting in death and child endangerment-multiple acts and agreed to testify against Henderson. She said on the witness stand that Henderson had beaten her son more than once.
Prosecutors have said they will dismiss her murder charge when she is sentenced on March 20.
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