Mom charged - but not with homicide - in boy's death

When Andrea Worrell posted a picture of her baby boy, Zyair Worrell, sleeping soundly upon her chest in November 2015, she captioned it: "Omg never leave my side."

But on Wednesday, the 2-year-old boy - a victim of child abuse, police said - did leave his mother's side, never to return. And now Worrell, 23, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and obstructing justice in connection with Zyair's death.

She was being held Friday on $200,000 bail, according to court records.

Worrell's 21-year-old boyfriend, whose identity was not released, was being held on a previous matter as investigators build a homicide case against him in Zyair's death, a police source said.

On Tuesday, officers responded to the 600 block of East Clementine Street in Kensington, where they were met by Worrell, holding Zyair's limp body in her arms, police said. Worrell's boyfriend was also there, authorities said.

Zyair was taken to St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, where he was pronounced dead at 2:10 a.m. Wednesday.

Examinations revealed that Zyair had bruises on his chest and ear and an abrasion over his eye. He also had a large laceration to his liver and tested positive for THC, the psychoactive compound in marijuana, police said.

Authorities have not detailed how Zyair was injured or how he may have come into contact with marijuana.

farrs@phillynews.com

215-854-4225

@FarFarrAway