A young man from Ohio, aged 23, is currently detained after allegedly subjecting a 12-year-old boy to ice baths as a form of discipline, an act that reportedly resulted in the child’s death. The suspect, identified as Anthony J. McCants, is facing child endangerment charges related to the death of the boy, Jadako Taylor, as per court records.
The Akron Police Department and the Summit County Medical Examiner were notified of the incident through a 911 call received around 2:30 p.m. on a Saturday. The call originated from a residence on South Balch Street, with the caller identifying himself as the victim’s older brother, reporting a head injury to the boy.
Upon reaching the scene, emergency personnel discovered Jadako unconscious and not breathing. He was rushed to a children’s hospital, but was declared dead just over an hour later. McCants was apprehended the same day as authorities suspected foul play.
Court records indicate that McCants allegedly compelled Jadako to sit in two ice baths, each lasting approximately 45 minutes. In between these chilling punishments, the boy was reportedly made to perform physically demanding exercises, including pushups. During this ordeal, Jadako started to vomit and experience seizures.
An autopsy was performed on Monday to ascertain the exact cause and manner of Jadako’s death. Hypothermia, as per the Mayo Clinic, occurs when the body temperature drops below 95 degrees. Jadako’s body temperature was recorded at a critically low 74 degrees, significantly lower than the normal body temperature of approximately 98.6 degrees.
Hypothermia can cause vital organs such as the heart and the nervous system to malfunction, and if left untreated, can result in respiratory failure and death. McCants, who was acquainted with Jadako’s family and was in charge of his care at the time of the incident, is currently being held at the Summit County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
The case is now under the purview of prosecutors who can present it to a grand jury to decide whether it will proceed. McCants is scheduled for a status hearing on May 16.