Officials: Mom fatally beat son over broken TV

NEW YORK (AP) - A 21-year-old mother angry her little boy broke their television while playing a Nintendo Wii video game beat him and then refused to call for help until the 5-year-old, vomiting and ill, fell unconscious and eventually died, prosecutors said.

Kim Crawford was being held without bail Tuesday in the death of her son, Jamar Johnson. She was charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter after police responded to the Bronx home at about 7:15 p.m. Friday, Bronx prosecutors said.

Jamar was unconscious when police arrived. Crawford initially told investigators he was sick and didn't wake up, but eventually told them she hit the boy hard in the back and stomach over the broken television, authorities said.

Defense attorney Camille Abate did not return a call seeking comment. She told the Daily News that Crawford shouldn't have been charged with murder. She says the facts do not establish that Crawford tried to kill her child.

The boy was believed to have been injured sometime last week, and Crawford has been accused of refusing to call for help because she feared she would get in trouble. The medical examiner's office ruled Jamar died from blunt impact injuries of the torso with internal injuries and peritonitis, an infection that can result from untreated injuries.

Police had been called to the home at least nine times on domestic violence reports involving Crawford and the boy's father. The Administration for Children's Services is investigating the case, said spokeswoman Elysia Murphy.

Her second child was removed from the home and is in child welfare custody.