Story by Ethan
On October 7th, 2025, the arrest of Jerome Thomas, age 19, was announced by Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark. Jerome Thomas was charged with first and second-degree Manslaughter, second-degree Murder, and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. The arrest and charges against Jerome Thomas were a result of an investigation handled by NYPD Detective Arelis Collazo of the Bronx Homicide Squad, Detective Paolo Ruiz of the 40th Detective Squad and Officer Yuliana Comas of the 40th Precinct.
According to the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, between 8:30 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. on August 28th, 2025, Jerome Thomas was accompanied by his girlfriend, 26-year-old Le’Nesha Mitchell, and her one-year-old child inside of their apartment in a building on Union Avenue. Le’Nesha Mitchell left Jerome Thomas to care for the baby at the apartment while she went to run an errand at a local supermarket. After Le’Nesha Mitchell returned home she found her child lying on her bed struggling to breathe and suffering from bruising on her face. Le’Nasha Mitchell called 911 before the child was transported to NYC Health+Hospitals Harlem where it was observed that the child was suffering from brain hernias caused by subdural hemorrhaging and cerebral edema. After being transferred to New York Presbyterian/Colombia University Irving Medical Center the victim underwent emergency surgery before being placed on life support. Despite the medical care and procedure the baby was pronounced dead on September 5th, 2025, the cause of death stemming from forceful impact trauma on the right side of her head. Jerome Thomas allegedly admitted on a video recorded statement that he had struck the victim twice with a “heavy hand”.
The Bronx District Attorney’s Office stated that the charges against Jerome Thomas are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
