Some family members were so upset by what they heard Saturday in court.
Prosecutors say 21 year old Jeremiah Thompson became upset when his 2-year-old daughter had an accident before making it to the bathroom. That, according to authorities, is what led him to beat Jakarriah Patterson so severely that she died from her injuries.
"It's very heart shattering because this was an innocent baby and she didn't deserve anything that she got from this monster. It's really hard," said the victim's aunt, Marquis Weatherspoon.
Family and friends gathered in Evanston Friday night for a prayer vigil. They offered support to Jakarriah's mother and grandmother.
After hearing details in court of what prosecutors say happened Wednesday afternoon they had to leave the courtroom and were too distraught to speak about it Saturday night.
According to the allegations in the complaint, police say Jakarrian soiled herself, and then her father struck her in head, and her head slammed into toilet. He then allegedly forced her to sit in her own waste while he struck her in back and stomach.
When officers were called to the house they found her lifeless body. An autopsy found evidence of child abuse and blunt force trauma.
"It's hard to fathom that someone could do that to an innocent baby. You can't even imagine that someone could beat profusely in the head," said Weatherspoon.
Department of Corrections records show Thompson, who also is known by the first name Jeremy, served two years in prison for robbery and is currently on parole.
"I really hope he never gets out of jail and I hope that the community can learn from this," Weatherspoon said.
Her family used to bring Jakarriah to a nearby park in Evanston to play. For the last month or so, however, she had been staying with her father in Lansing. Her mother wanted her father to get to know her better. It was a decision her mother now regrets.
Donations are being accepted to help with Jakarriah's funeral costs: Jakarriahpatterson.mydagsite.com
