WARSAW —  Two-year-old Malakai Garrett was beaten to death by his mother’s boyfriend, Mitchell Vanryn, on Nov. 29, 2017. Vanryn was arrested on Nov. 30 and charged with aggravated battery and domestic battery. Now the child’s mother, Amber Garrett, 26,  is facing neglect charges.

The Allen County Coroner’s Office ruled Malakai’s death a homicide and stated the injuries “were consistent with that of multiple blows and strikes from a closed fist punch.” Vanryn was the sole child care provider for Malakai and another child while Amber was at work during the week. 

In the mother’s affidavit of probable cause, many text messages were revealed to show she knew about the neglect. Vanryn sent upset texts to Garrett saying that Malakai “just got the belt pretty good.” When Garrett asked why, Vanryn replied that Malakai was in trouble and he slipped and fell in the shower.

Further text message conversations revealed Vanryn threatening to beat Garrett for calling the doctor about her son. Garrett then informs Vanryn that her head still hurts from him pulling her by her hair and kicking her while she was on the ground.

The Department of Child Services was notified on Oct. 29 of suspected abuse in the home by Vanryn because of unexplained bruising and several injuries over the past months.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Garrett also told the police that Vanryn “rages in anger.” Garrett further detailed Vanryn punching her, threatening to slit her throat and being mean and harsh to her children.

Garrett is facing the neglect charges due to the fact that she continued to allow Vanryn to be her sole child care provider despite all the violence.

Malakai’s father, Lantz Garrett, is a Warsaw resident and hopes no other children have to suffer the same fate as his son. He knows that legal action won’t bring his son back, but says it will be a start to healing.

“First thing I want is the monster who did this to my man to suffer behind bars like he deserves and I want the mother right there behind him. And I want the laws and codes and ethics to be rewritten for CPS so they don’t take this lightly and it will be a law in Malakai’s name.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up to financially help the family while they seek justice. So far, $8,000 has been raised in support.