Cops: Boy, 4, severely beaten by mom's fiance

Little Anthony Elam never stood a chance against his mother's 6-foot-1, 250-pound fiance.

Police said the 4-year-old boy suffered a savage beating at the hands of Lawrence "Lindbergh" Craig inside their Point Breeze rowhouse Tuesday morning.

When Anthony arrived at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia shortly before 1 p.m. that day, doctors told detectives that he was brain-dead.

The boy lingered in the same condition last night, kept alive only by a life-support machine.

Police charged Craig, 29, with aggravated and simple assault, recklessly endangering the welfare of a child, possessing an instrument of crime and recklessly endangering another person.

Investigators said the charges could be upgraded to include murder if Anthony is removed from life support and dies.

Craig told detectives that he used a belt buckle to beat the little boy, but investigators said the severity of the youngster's injuries have them wondering if other objects were used as well.

Craig was watching Anthony by himself on Tuesday while the boy's mother, Gabrielle Rockmore, was out, investigators said.

It was unclear what prompted Craig to attack the boy inside their home on Watkins Street near 19th., police said.

He is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing Wednesday. *