Boyfriend Charged In Death Of Toddler

By Chuck Sudo in News on Mar 20, 2014 2:15PM

A South Side man is due in court Thursday to face charges he killed the toddler daughter of his girlfriend. James Harris IV, 23, will be charged with first-degree murder in the death of 19-month-old Ameriah Roberson. The toddler’s body was discovered Sunday afternoon in a wooded area in suburban Riverdale and was reported missing by Harris later that day. Harris told police she was last seen near his home on the 3500 block of South Rhodes, which prompted a search before police learned about the discovery of Roberson’s body.

An autopsy determined Roberson died of closed-head injuries and a subdural hematoma. Police suspect Harris killed Roberson than drove to Riverside to dump her body. Harris is the boyfriend of Roberson’s mother Jocelyn but is not the biological father. Roberson’s aunt, Tamika Vaughen, told the Tribune Harris’s behavior around them never indicated he could be violent.

“We don’t know what happened or what would make him do this,” Vaughen said. “This is heartbreaking to our family and it’s a terrible tragedy. Our family loves our babies, so I just can’t understand how he could do this.”

Funeral arrangements for Roberson are pending.