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Todd "TJ" Booth

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Suspect In Abused Toddler Case Turns Himself In

POSTED: 3:44 pm PDT July 8, 2008
UPDATED: 12:58 pm PDT July 9, 2008

The suspect wanted in connection with a toddler who was abused and tortured turned himself in Tuesday night, reported KIRO 7 Eyewitness News.

Todd "TJ" Booth, 23, arrived with his father at the Pierce County Corrections Center and was arrested and booked into the jail at about 9 p.m. on suspicion of second-degree child assault, Detective Ed Troyer with the Pierce County Sheriff's Office said.

Investigators said Booth is responsible for assaulting and burning a 18-month-old boy named Jevais, who was brought to a Tacoma hospital by two women on Sunday. Police said the boy showed signs of abuse and torture.

"He (Booth) assaulted the baby. The baby has some burns on him and blood coming from certain parts. It was obvious he was hit. We have information that the baby had been in that condition for a few days at least before making it to the hospital," said Troyer.

A woman who dropped the toddler at the hospital, Printess Williams, told police a gang member had left the boy at her Midland home. She said she and her mother noticed injuries to the child and took him to the emergency room. They told investigators at the time that they did not know who the boy's mother was and that they had never seen the child before.

Police said they knew they were lied to about the child and who he belonged to because the women involved were afraid of Booth. Detectives said the women allegedly made up the story about the gang member because they feared Booth would retaliate against them, and the investigation has been plagued with conflicting stories.

"The women did know a lot more, but the extenuating circumstances here are that this guy (Booth) is a very dangerous guy who made threats to harm or kill people," said Troyer.

According to police documents, Booth has been the subject of four restraining orders filed by women in 2004, 2006 and 2008. In the documents, one woman said she feared for her life and the life of her son. Other women described being hit, choked and had their lives and the lives of their family members threatened by Booth.

Police said that neither of the women who brought Jevais to the hospital will be charged with crimes, nor will the boy's mother, who came to the police station Tuesday morning and was questioned by police.

Police said the abused boy's mother works for Booth as a prostitute.

The boy was released from the hospital Tuesday and is in foster care.

Booth is expected to make his first court appearance on Wednesday.

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