SACRAMENTO, Calif. (WSVN) — An 8-year-old boy, who police said was beaten to death by his mother’s ex-boyfriend, died protecting his sister from being sexually assaulted, his grandmother said.
Fox 40 reports that 23-year-old Deandre Chaney Jr. attacked Dante Daniels with a hammer and lighter fluid after the young boy tried to stop him from performing a lewd act on his 7-year-old sister, police said.
“Trying to save his sister from this child molester,” Monique Brown, the boy’s grandmother said. “And that’s why he was beat the worst.”
Chaney, a reported sex offender, then turned the hammer and knife on the girl and mother, who police said was not home at the time of the initial incident. Brown said the little girl is recovering, but will likely never see out of her left eye again.
Brown called her grandson a hero, saying he showed incredible courage to try to save his sibling.
“This guy beat my grandson with a hammer. Down to his spine. They couldn’t save his brain,” Brown said.
The little boy had just started third grade the day of the attack. He never made it to his second day of school.
His grandmother said his act of courage saved not just the life of his sister, but his heart was donated to also help save a 4-year-old’s life as well.
The family has created a GoFundMe page to help cover medical and funeral expenses.
Copyright 2024 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.