A mother who has been charged with murdering her six-year-old son, who was allegedly punished with a freezing shower until he passed out, has been pictured.
Damari Perry, from Chicago, was found dead in freezing temperatures in Indiana on Saturday morning and was ruled to have been the victim of a homicide, a medical coroner said on Tuesday.
The boy's mother Jannie Perry, 38, has been charged with first-degree murder with two of his siblings also facing charges for their involvement.
A booking photograph of the young boy's mother has been released as it was revealed that she lost custody of all seven of her children for three years.
Damari was initially reported missing on January 5 by his mother and his 20-year-old brother Jeremiah R. Perry, who faces charges for his involvement in the death of the young boy.
But the police investigation turned to Damari's home 'after the family's story was contradicted', the Lake County, Illinois, State's Attorney said.
Jannie Perry (pictured), 38, has been charged with first-degree murder after her six-year-old son Damari was found dead in freezing temperatures in Indiana on Saturday morning
It has been revealed Damari's mother Jannie lost custody of her seven children between 2014 and 2017, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) said.
On Tuesday, DCFS spokesman Bill McCaffrey said there was an allegation of domestic violence in 2014 that the agency investigated and discovered to be true, according to NBC Chicago.
McCaffrey said DCFS took custody of the four children who were living in the home at the time.
In 2014, Jannie reportedly gave birth to a fifth child, who was taken into protective custody, and one year later, she gave birth to Damari, who is understood to have been taken into custody and placed in foster care.
In 2017, Jannie gave birth to a seventh child who was also taken into custody, according to officials.
Agency records are believed to show that the court ordered all seven children to be returned to Jannie's home in 2017, DCFS said.
McCaffrey said DCFS did not have any more contact with the family until an allegation of abuse and neglect was filed in May 2021, which was investigated and determined to be unfounded, according to local media reports.
Boone County court records show that in June 2014, Jannie unsuccessfully argued for an order of protection against Damari Perry's father Dalvin Driver.
The death of Damari, from Chicago, has been ruled a homicide by the Lake County Coroner's Office after his body was found in found in freezing temperatures
She reportedly accused him of choking her on three separate occasions. It is not clear whether this was the allegation that prompted the DCFS investigation.
It comes after Damari's body was found naked and wrapped in a plastic trash bag in an alley in freezing temperatures in Indiana on Saturday morning.
He had reportedly been forced into a cold shower by three of his family members until he vomited and passed out, according to authorities.
They allegedly
