An Inglewood man accused of killing his girlfriend’s young son two days before his birthday last summer has been charged with murder, prosecutors announced Thursday.
Josafat Bonifacio, 27, also faces a count of assault on a child causing death, according to a news release from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
The incident took place on July 3 at a home near the 8700 block of Croydon Avenue in Westchester. Bonifacio had been caring for 2-year-old Damien Ventura — his girlfriend’s son — and his 4-year-old daughter when someone called 911 during the evening, officials said.
The little boy was rushed to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood where he died. Damien had suffered from multiple injuries, the release stated.
The Los Angeles Police Department responded to the hospital to investigate the boy’s death.
Damien died two days before his third birthday, according to a GoFundMe page to raise money for his funeral.
Bonifacio was arrested on Tuesday and is being held on $3 million bail, inmate records show.
The defendant faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
He’s scheduled to be arraigned sometime on Thursday.
The case is being prosecuted by the office’s Family Violence Division, Complex Child Abuse Section.