Authorities have taken a significant step forward in the harrowing case of the death of a 2-year-old boy in the Mark Twain neighborhood, with an arrest made in connection to the tragedy. According to a statement from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, a 21-year-old woman was apprehended yesterday facing charges for "Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Resulting in Death."
The case has quickly began to unravel since the dismal finding on October 27, when police were alerted to an unresponsive child on Thekla Avenue late at night. EMS personnel transported the 2-year-old, identified as Bre'yeon Wells, to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. An initial investigation suggested a suspicious death, a notion that was compounded when the Medical Examiner’s Office discovered evidence of strangulation among other injuries, officially ruling the death a homicide.
A 21-year-old man involved in the incident also turned himself in to the authorities on October 30, shortly before charges were leveled against him. The Circuit Attorney's office issued charges for "Murder 2nd Degree, Forcible Sodomy 1st, Statutory Sodomy, and Abuse of a Child Resulting in Death," indicating a disturbing layer of violence surrounding the young boy's untimely demise, as per the SLMPD.
Homicide detectives are now fervently working to piece together the circumstances leading to Bre'yeon Wells's fatal injuries. Two adults, connected to the child, were originally questioned and then released, with one now in custody and the other facing several serious charges. The community is left to grapple with the loss of a life gone far too soon, and authorities are encouraging anyone with information about the incident to come forward. Calls can be made directly to the Homicide Division at 314-444-5371, or anonymously through CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477), where tips leading to a felony arrest may be eligible for a reward.
