South Jersey man beat girlfriend's 2-year-old to death, police say
A Pennsauken man has been charged with murder after authorities said he beat his girlfriend's 2-year-old son to death last weekend.
A Pennsauken man has been charged with murder after authorities said he beat his girlfriend's 2-year-old son to death last weekend.
Zachary Tricoche, 24, was arrested when Pennsauken police arrived at the house in the 5900 block of Mansion Boulevard about 11:30 p.m. Saturday responding to a report of an unresponsive child there.
The boy, whose name was not released, was taken to Cooper University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 12:08 a.m. Sunday, authorities said.
Neighbors expressed surprise and sadness Monday.
Joe Holley, 77, who lives next door, said he saw police outside the boy's home Sunday morning on his way to church. Investigators were still there when he returned.
Holley said he never heard any commotion at the house.
"This is a quiet place," he said.
A few houses down, Claudia Jones and her husband, Cliff, sympathized for the boy.
"You feel for a young, innocent child," Jones, 51, said. The couple have lived in the neighborhood about 13 years, but said they did not know the boy's family.
Cliff Jones said he occasionally saw a young man mowing the front lawn at the house. No one answered the door there Monday afternoon.
Tricoche is to be arraigned at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in Superior Court in Camden.
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