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This article requires pre-publication review by an uninvolved reviewer (one not substantially involved in writing the article). [1] Article last amended: Sep 27 at 20:29:35 UTC (history) |
| This article requires pre-publication review by an uninvolved reviewer (one not substantially involved in writing the article). [2] Article last amended: Sep 27 at 20:29:35 UTC (history) |
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Jallen McConnie, a 15 year old special needs boy who lived in North Carolina and Georgia was sent by his sister Mykarsha Rogers to live in New York City with cousin Johnette Booker, who described the arrangement as “Cousins Boot Camp”. For the 32 days Jallen stayed with Booker he was physically and emotionally tortured. He was physically assaulted multiple times with belts, forced to sleep on the floor, forced to sit facing the wall with his legs crossed for the majority of the day, forced to do intensive exercises, scrub her floor, hold heavy books over his head, stand in the corner touching his toes, and was denied his prescribed medications. On June 28, 2021, Booker hit McConnie with belts on his arms, legs, body and face for over an hour on the living room. The attack left McConnie covered in bruises and welts, including on the chest, back, face, both arms and legs. Booker also acted in concert with the victim’s cousin and allegedly another family member to hit Jallen with belts and punch him. After the beating, Booker brought Jallen to the bathroom and aided as another family member allegedly ordered Jallen to open his mouth and forced water down his throat. Jallen collapsed in Booker’s bathtub. The cause of death was homicidal asphyxia. Booker delayed calling 911 and lied to EMS/FDNY, police, ACS, hospital personnel, and family members. Booker first claimed she was not home when the incident occurred, then claiming that Jallen was jumped by boys in the park, then claiming that Jallen committed suicide, and then at one point filed a letter to the court falsely claiming she was in her bedroom and couldn’t hear what was happening. 3 people were arrested. First was Mitchaux Booker(42), Booker’s brother. Then Johnette Booker(43) herself and another relative Joevon McConnie(36). In February 2025, Booker was convicted on the following charges. 1st-Degree Manslaughter, First and Second Degree Assault, First and Second Degree Gang Assault and Child Endangerment. In March, Booker was sentenced to 20 years in prison. D.A. Alvin Bragg called Booker’s behavior “vicious and cruel” and put the child through “an excruciating level of abuse and trauma”. ADA Nicole Blumberg said Booker took perverse pleasure in torturing Jallen for a month before his death and said Booker readily agreed to be his caretaker but was instead his executioner. Judge Cori Weston called Jallen’s case one of the saddest cases I’ve ever seen. Joevon McConnie pleaded guilty to assault in 2024 and was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison. Mitchaux faces charges of manslaughter and his case is still pending.
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