Judge Refuses Bond For Stepfather After 4-Year-Old's Death

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A 4-year-old boy's stepfather was refused bond in a Franklin County courtroom Friday morning after autopsy results show the child died from blunt-force trauma.

Columbus police were dispatched to an apartment on the 6400 block of Mount Badon Road on an unknown trouble call at 12:11 a.m. Thursday.

When officers arrived on the far East Side scene, 4-year-old Lawrence King III was unresponsive, CPD Homicide Sgt. Dana Norman said.

Lawrence was taken to Nationwide Children's Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 12:54 a.m.

Franklin County Coroner Dr. Jan Gorniak later said the boy died from blunt-trauma injuries.

Columbus police charged Lawrence's stepfather, 29-year-old John J. Reeves, and his mother, 23-year-old Nikkie Reeves, overnight Friday.

John was charged was aggravated murder and child endangering in connection with Lawrence's death.

Nikkie was arrested and charged with child endangering in connection with Lawrence's death.

John was arraigned in court Friday morning, and a Franklin County Municipal Judge refused bond.

The biological father's family applauded when the judge determined it would be a no-bond case.

The child's father, Lawrence King II, and paternal grandmother, Lori Jones, said the boy's mother deserves a stiffer punishment.

Outside the courtroom, Jones and King put equal blame on Nikkie. Until three weeks ago, Jones had custody of Lawrence.

"She allowed him to be murdered and beat. And she knew about it, and she should be charged with murder, too -- accessory to murder," Jones said.

"She lost hope and faith. She lost love for the child," King said about Nikkie.

On the 911 call from the apartment complex, Nikkie blamed the beating on a cousin.

"I know that he just got beat up by his cousin over at his grandma's house, and I don't know what happened," Nikkie said on the call.

Police said Nikkie later admitted to lying out of fear of John and what he would do to her.

Nikkie told police John had beaten Lawrence several times during the previous 19 days.

Nikkie was to be arraigned Saturday. She remains in the Franklin County Jail.

John and Nikkie will be in court again for a preliminary hearing at 10 a.m. Friday, March 26.

The following was read during Friday's arraignment. All of the following recounts the alleged events that led up to Lawrence's death and was said during police interviews, according to court documents.

Nikkie said Lawrence is developmentally disabled.

During the first police interview, Nikkie said Lawrence was injured at a family member's home.

When that was proved incorrect later, Nikkie told police John beat Lawrence.

Nikkie told police she didn't mean not to tell the truth but she feared John would do something to her.

Nikkie said she went into another bedroom with her other children during the beating. She turned on music while the beating happened so the other children wouldn't be awakened.

Nikkie said she tried to tell John to stop, but he told her to go back into the bedroom and shut up.

She said the beatings happened between 7:30 and 8:30 p.m.

She said she could hear Lawrence slamming against the interior wall and the entertainment center.

She said at one point, Lawrence's head was hit and he started shaking.

She said she and John put him in bed and later found him unresponsive. She said she attempted to revive him in a cold bath.

Nikkie said there had been other beatings during the week.

John admitted during police interviews to disciplining Lawrence around dinnertime Wednesday for his disrespect and bad behavior.

John said he expects Lawrence to help around the house with work and Lawrence doesn't help.

John said Lawrence would not stay in the corner and he gently pushed his head back in the corner.

John said Lawrence kept falling down during the discipline. He said Lawrence fell back and hit his head on the floor.

John said this happened when Lawrence attempted to avoid being struck again by a black leather belt.

John said Lawrence appeared to lose consciousness at this time.

John said he and Nikkie put the child in bed and he was unresponsive when they went to check on him later.

John said he ran to a neighbor's house when Lawrence wouldn't respond to being put in a cold bath and CPR. Medics were called.

Anyone with information on the city's 19th homicide of 2010 was asked to call CPD's homicide squad at 614-645-4730.

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