Philly's top cop says look no further than the parents if you're talking about who is at fault in the death of six-year-old Khalil Wimes.
"You know who let those kids down are the parents. Parents are supposed to protect their children, not starve and beat them to death," Ramsey told NBC10's Deanna Durante.
Wimes died late Monday after being rushed to the hospital. He died from blunt force trauma and malnutrition, according to the medical examiner. At the time of his death, he weighed less than 30 pounds. Wimes and several of his siblings had been removed from the care of their mother over the years, but Khalil was returned to his biological parents after his foster parents lost the right to adopt him.
Tina and Floyd Wimes were arrested Wednesday and charged with murder and related offenses.
"These are the two people believed to be responsible and they have since given statements to that effect," Ramsey said.
Mayor Michael Nutter took questions on the case today, but didn't say much, citing privacy laws that prohibit him from talking about cases involving children. He did say however, that at the time of Khalil's death, there was not an open file with the Department of Human Services.
Sources close to the investigation told Durante that in 2009 and 2010, the city's Special Victims Unit opened sexual abuse and neglect cases involving some of the Wimes' other children. They include allegations that two of the children in the home were sexually assaulted by a third child and that the third child told authorities they were sexually assaulted by an older family member, according to Deputy Commissioner William Blackburn.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
The order to place Khalil back in the custody of his parents came from a Philadelphia Family Court Judge. At the time of publication, the court had not returned our calls for comment.
