A Bronx mother arrested for allegedly beating to death her 5-year-old son proclaimed her innocence this morning from behind bars — insisting that she would never hurt the child and saying God was on her side.
Kim Crawford is due to be arraigned later this afternoon on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges, accused of beating her oldest child, Jamar Johnson, so badly that he suffered fatal injuries to his chest and stomach.
The 21-year-old mother — who also has a 2-year-old daughter —was adamant that she has been wrongly accused.
“All my trust is in God and he knows I didn’t do this,” Crawford said in a brief phone interview from the Bronx’s Central booking, where she is being held while awaiting her arraignment.
“God knows the truth and I didn’t do this.”
She called authorities on Friday to report that the child was not well.
When cops came to the house, they found Jamar unconscious and not breathing.
Crawford was arrested two days later and charged with his death.
Her friends said that she told them her son was ill.
“She called me from the precinct and said he was sick. She gave him a nap and he didn’t wake up. [She said] he passed away,” said Tanisha Cephas, 20.
She does not believe her friend Crawford — who she has known for six years — would hurt her son.
“It doesn’t seem real. She would buy her kids $400 sneakers. She took care of those kids,” said Cephas.
“It’s scary. I feel her loss and it’s shocking.”