A 23-year-old Penn Hills woman has been taken into custody following the death of her 3-year-old son earlier this week.
Authorities reported that emergency dispatchers received a call around 12:45 p.m. Wednesday regarding a young child who was not breathing at a residence on Dorothy Drive. First responders transported the boy to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The Allegheny County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the child as Devin Goodson. Officials have not yet released the official cause or manner of death.
Investigators stated that hospital personnel alerted law enforcement to visible injuries on the child that were consistent with severe physical abuse. Detectives noted the presence of multiple bone fractures, some of which appeared to be in various stages of healing.
According to court documents, detectives conducted interviews with witnesses and determined that the child’s mother, Lagomau Malu, was responsible for repeated physical abuse. During questioning at police headquarters, Malu reportedly admitted to striking the child in the face the night before his death after he wet the bed. She also told investigators that she had used wooden drumsticks to hit him and acknowledged past incidents in which she continued striking him until her hand became sore.
Malu was arrested and transported to the Allegheny County Jail. She faces several felony charges, including aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and reckless endangerment. Court records indicate she is awaiting a preliminary hearing.
