Couple Appears Before Judge In Fatal Beating Of Brockton Boy

BROCKTON, Mass. (CBS/AP) — A Brockton man, charged with fatally beating his girlfriend's 4-year-old son, was ordered held without bail at his arraignment Tuesday.

Police on Monday arrested 32-year-old Antonio Durham on a murder charge in connection with the June death of Chauncey Cohen.

The Plymouth district attorney's office says the boy's mother, 27-year-old Tania Merisca, was charged as an accessory after the fact. Merisca was also arraigned Tuesday and held on $250,000 bail.

Chauncey was brought to Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton on June 2 by Merisca, who said he became unresponsive while she was bathing him. When the child died about an hour later, hospital officials alerted police.

Cohen had been staying at the Holiday Inn Express with his mother and Durham.

Investigators determined that the boy died of blunt force trauma to the abdomen.

Both suspects are scheduled to appear in court March 27, for a probable cause hearing.

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