A man has been charged with capital murder for allegedly beating his girlfriend’s 1-year-old son to death.
According to the Jackson Police Department, Herman Gardner, 31, beat Protege Hunter at the Sunset Plaza Apartments in the capital city in December of 2023. The toddler was taken to a local hospital for treatment of blunt force trauma sustained before later succumbing to his injuries.
Detective Tommie Brown says that U.S. Marshall Task Force Officers within the Jackson Police Department arrested Gardner in connection with the case. Yolanda Hunter, Protege’s mother, is charged with felony child abuse in addition to Gardner’s capital murder charge.
Officials added that this is an ongoing investigation and urge the public to contact Crime Stoppers at (601)355-8477 or JPD at (601)960-1234 if they have information regarding the case.
