JUSTIN JAMES HEPBURN - 4 yo - Ware/ Jonesboro IL

Woman in custody, boy's name released after child death

Posted: Dec 11, 2011 8:30 PM CST
Updated: Dec 13, 2011 7:29 PM CST

WARE, IL (KFVS) -
A woman is in custody in connection with the death of a 4-year-old boy in Ware.

The Union County Coroner says Justin James Hepburn died Saturday.

Charges are expected to be filed against the Sacha Brown Wednesday morning, according to Union County State's Attorney Tyler Edmonds' Office.

According to Union County State's Attorney Tyler Edmonds the child died during the night on Saturday, December 10.

It happened in Ware which is right outside of Jonesboro. A sheriff's deputy vehicle had been parked at a home on Follis Drive since the child died.

Union County Sheriff David Livesay says a Child Death Investigation Task Force arrived on the scene Monday evening to execute a search warrant at a home on Follis Drive.

Illinois State Police, the Union County Coroner's Office, the Union County State's Attorney and several other agencies are all investigating.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson with the Department of Children and Family Services says they are investigating allegations of neglect in connection with Hepburn's death. DCFS also launched another investigation of abuse and neglect, just a week and a half prior to the child's death.

Edmonds says an autopsy was conducted Monday in Bloomington. Preliminary autopsy results are expected to be released soon.

Visitation for Hepburn will be 11 a.m. on Friday and funeral services for Justin will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Rendleman and Hileman Funeral Home in Jonesboro.

http://www.kfvs12.com/story/16302005/woman-in-custody-boys-name-released-after-child-death

UNION COUNTY, Ill. — Not guilty: that is the plea from a woman accused of murdering her boyfriend's 4-year-old son, Justin Hepburn.

On Jan. 10, a Union County jury indicted Sacha Brown on first degree murder, aggravated battery and concealment of a homicidal death charges.

Brown is charged with concealment because she told the babysitter the boy was asleep but the coroner said Hepburn had already died from a skull fracture.

Wednesday, Brown's new attorney said he will fight to clear his client's name.

"I'm going to hire an expert witness and it hurts me because I haven't had this information for a month," said Larry Kerraker, Brown's attorney.

Sacha Brown entered the courthouse without saying a thing. Her attorney, though, wasn't mincing words.

"She denied it from the word go. They had no forensics. They had no autopsy," said Kerraker.

Kerraker said he questions the evidence against his client.

In court, he accused prosecutors of withholding documents, not getting them to him fast enough. Kerraker said he is hoping to speed up the process.

"The less I know, the harder it is for me to move on and grieve like I should," said Kandi Mullins, Justin Hepburn's mother.

Mullins is still waiting to see the autopsy results for herself.

Mullins said she and her son's father, Chris Hepburn, have started speaking again, despite having no relationship for some time.

"Since all this happened, yes we talk more. We talk on the phone a lot and he tells me a lot about Justin and some of the things I missed," said Mullins. "And then talking to him about everything that happened, I have a lot of anger still."

Anger toward a woman Mullins said murdered her child.

It's an unlikely circumstance bringing two sides back together.

Local 6 tried to speak with Sacha Brown's father and family members outside the courthouse Wednesday. They said they had no comment.

Union County State's Attorney Tyler Edmonds said in court his office is not withholding any documents from the defense and they have provided them within a reasonable amount of time.

http://www.wpsdlocal6.com/news/il-state-news/Local-woman-accused-of-murdering-4-year-old-child-enters-plea-137134923.html