Mother wants answers after child’s death, boyfriend’s arrest

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - A family is mourning and a man is in jail after police say a 18-month-old boy was murdered.

21-year-old Tavion Cobb was arrested and charged with murder, neglect of a dependent causing death, and neglect of a dependent for not seeking medical attention.

[Man charged with murder in death of 18-month-old baby]

We met with the child’s family at a candlelight vigil Wednesday.

Germia Groves says since the death of her son on Tuesday, she’s has been living a nightmare.

“I haven’t slept. I’ve been up. I haven’t ate nothing,” said Groves.

His name was Nyheim.

“He’s a sweet baby, kind, funny. When I’m doing something wrong, he’ll do it for me, and be like, ‘hahahaha’, put his little hand up. He’s so cute,” said Groves.

Police say Groves left Nyheim with her boyfriend, Tavion Cobb; a full name she actually hadn’t heard until after he was arrested.

“I didn’t know his last name was Cobb. He told me Barksdale. My son would always run to him and be like ‘dada, dada, dada,’ with no problem, when he’s around me,” she said.

When she got her son back, police say he was unresponsive, his tongue was blue, and he had severe burns on his face, a brain injury, and what looked like a cigarette burn on the back of his leg.

Groves rushed Nyheim to a hospital, where they told her he died.

Police questioned Cobb, and Officer Taylor Merriss says he claimed the child fell off his bike.

“That’s what he said occurred. No details other than that really, and the evidence doesn’t really point to that either,” said Officer Merriss.

Groves had videos of Nyheim looking healthy after Cobb claimed the accident occurred.

He was arrested and charged with murder and two counts of neglect.

Groves says she and her family are left to grieve.

“Now he’s gone, he’s not coming back,” she said. “I just want to know why he did it.”

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