A Seattle mother and stepfather are now both facing murder charges for the death of their 14 year old son who was beaten for over three hours with an HMDI cord until he died because he didn’t do his chores. The stepfather reportedly heard the assault but did not intervene.
On January 30, 2025, 29-year-old Denaya Young called 911 from her residence to report that she had “gone too far” in punishing her teenage son and that medical assistance was needed. When police and medics arrived, they found a 14-year-old boy, identified as Jamiere Robinson, with life-threatening injuries throughout his body. He was immediately rushed to Harborview Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased.
Authorities allege that Denaya Young hit her son because she believed he had not completed his chores, according to reports from the Seattle Times.
Citing the medical examiner, the outlet reported that Young’s 14-year-old son suffered 1,172 injuries as a result of the beating before his eventual death on Jan. 30.
Young was charged with second-degree murder on February 4, pleaded not guilty on February 13, and has a bail set at $3 million.
The stepfather Khalil Graham told police he was moving throughout the house during the boy’s beating and could hear the boy being hit and screamed at. He told police he did not intervene to stop Young because “I don’t want to jump in and then I’m getting jumped on, you feel? Like, I’m not even trying to have that type of day.” Graham also told police that “in these situations, my best bet is to mind my own business.”
Graham, was arrested and charged on Feb. 14 with two domestic violence offenses: second-degree murder due to criminal mistreatment and first-degree manslaughter. He was arrested by Seattle police on that Friday and his arraignment is set for Thursday, Feb. 27.
