A Colorado community is mourning the death of a 4-year-old boy after investigators say his mother and a family friend subjected him to brutal “boot camp”-style punishments before his death.
Police in Aurora, Colorado, responded to an apartment on May 23, after receiving a report of an unresponsive child shortly after 10 p.m., according to Café Mom.
When officers arrived, they found the boy, identified as Xander, unconscious and not breathing, according to a statement from the Aurora Police Department shared on social media. Emergency responders transported him to a hospital, but he died a short time later.
Authorities say the child had allegedly been subjected to harsh punishments designed to “straighten him out.”
He was hit with a belt repeatedly
According to court documents obtained by the Denver Post, Xander’s mother, 23-year-old Destini Rose Lipsky, believed she was struggling to control her son’s behavior. The affidavit states the child had a habit of “repeatedly lying to her, sneaking into her purse, not listening to her, and occasionally stealing candy.”
Investigators say Lipsky arranged for 24-year-old Alexander Martinez-Armstrong — a friend of the child’s father — to help discipline the boy using “boot camp” methods.
“During the on-scene investigation, interviews were conducted and evidence was collected. The child’s caretaker at the time, Alexander Martinez-Armstrong, 24, acknowledged striking the boy repeatedly before his death, leading to Martinez-Armstrong’s arrest on Saturday,” police confirmed in a statement shared on social media.
According to the affidavit, Lipsky allegedly told Martinez-Armstrong he could use the same disciplinary tactics she used on Xander herself. She reportedly admitted to spanking and whipping the child, as well as forcing him to do push-ups, planks, and wall sits.
The investigation is ongoing
Martinez-Armstrong’s girlfriend also reportedly told investigators she could hear the child screaming from another room while he was being beaten.
Authorities say the punishments escalated on May 23 – the day Xander died. Martinez-Armstrong allegedly told police the 4-year-old received the most discipline that day and claimed he struck him with a belt at least 21 times.
Police arrested Martinez-Armstrong, and prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder, according to the Denver Post. Lipsky has been charged with child abuse resulting in death.
According to police, “Lipsky is being held at the El Paso County Jail on $500,000 bond, pending her transfer to Arapahoe County. The cause and manner of death will be released by the Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office.”
The investigation remains ongoing, and police are urging “anyone with any information about Lipsky and her interactions with the victim” to contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720.913.STOP (7867). Tipsters can remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward of up to $2,000.
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