A 35-year-old Lawrenceville man is being held in the Gwinnett County jail in connection with the death of his 2 ½-year-old stepchild.
Bertrand Hounkpatin was arrested this morning and faces three counts of cruelty to children and one count of felony murder. He is being held without a bond.
Police said Hounkpatin was alone with a number of children on Jan. 25 at a residence he shared with the children’s mother. Someone in the residence called 911 after the child became unresponsive after being disciplined by Hounkpatin, according to a news release from the Lawrenceville Police Department.
An 11-year-old sibling started CPR and the child was transported to Gwinnett Medical Center and later pronounced dead, according to the release.
Police said the child’s autopsy report received Tuesday revealed “a pattern of abuse” contributed to the death of the child.
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