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Three-year-old boy 'had been on park swing for two days when he was found dead'

Ji’Aire Lee died of dehydration and hypothermia

Caroline Mortimer
Thursday 02 July 2015 01:54 BST
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Ji'aire, three, was alive when he was placed in the swing
Ji'aire, three, was alive when he was placed in the swing (Facebook)

A little boy who was found dead on a park swing still being pushed by his mother had been there for almost two days.

His mother, named as Romechia Simms, was found pushing the body of a three year old boy back and forth on a swing in La Plata, a small town in Maryland’s Charles County in May.

According to a statement from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office said the boy, named as Ji’Aire Lee, died of dehydration and hypothermia.

It concluded that he was definitely alive when he went into the swing.

The boy and his mother had been in the park since Wednesday morning and were there until police were called on Friday after witnesses reported seeing a woman pushing a child on a swing for an unusually long time.

Ji’Aire’s body showed no signs of trauma and no charges have been filed following a review, according to Reuters.

Simms, who was homeless and is reported to suffer from mental health problems, was taken to hospital where she was evaluated for four days, according to the Mirror Online.

Ji'aire, three, was alive when he was placed in the swing (Facebook)

The child’s grandmother Vontasha Simms,47, told the paper: “Romechia would never harm my grandson in any type of way.

"You know, I just believe she had some type of mental illness, some type of mental break that came upon her where she wasn’t able to get herself out of that situation."

Ji’Aire was laid to rest at the First Baptist Church in Landover, Maryland on June 5th in a ceremony attended by his mother.

According to the Washington Post, a letter from Simms to her son was included in the programme.

It said: “Son, the joy you brought to my life is unexplainable. . . . I miss you so much Ji’Aire, way more than I could possibly express through words. I am slowly accepting your passing. I want you to know that I have always been extremely proud of you, and I love you until the end of time. Ji’Aire Donnell Lee you are amazing. Love always, Mommy.”

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