PORTLAND, Ore. — A 4-year-old boy died of suspicious injuries Wednesday and his father was arrested and charged with murder, according to Portland police.
East Precinct officers responded at about 12:30 p.m. to assist paramedics on an emergency call on Northeast Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard near Northeast Highland Street in the Piedmont neighborhood, police said.
When they arrived, they found that the boy, Jhorden Clay, was unconscious and had suffered "significant trauma." He was taken by ambulance to Legacy Emanuel Hospital, where he later died of his injuries despite the efforts of medical staff.
"Four-years-old," his great grandmother Mamie Johnson said. "Four-years-old. He had a whole future ahead of him."
The Portland Police Bureau's Child Abuse Team and homicide detectives were called to the scene to investigate. The father, Marquavious D. Ware, 19, was arrested and booked in Multnomah County jail on one charge of second-degree murder and one charge of first-degree criminal mistreatment, police said. Ware pleaded not guilty in court Thursday.
"I want him in jail for the rest of his life," Jonicia Clay, Jhorden's mother, said. "If you can't tell he's a menace to society."
The cause and manner of death still needs to be confirmed by the medical examiner, according to a news release.
Jhorden's family says the little boy had been with Ware for the last month or so. In the weeks leading up to Jhorden's death, family had been trying to get him back because they were afraid he was not getting the care he needed.
"They've been trying to get this baby for four weeks," Johnson said.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Detective Jeff Sharp at Jeff.Sharp@police.portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-9773 or Detective Mike Jones at Michael.Jones@police.portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-0405, referencing case number 23-114972.
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