Missing 6 Year Old Found Near Abandoned Home In Gary
During the morning hours of January 8th 2022, a missing juvenile investigation led special agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and detectives from the City of North Chicago Police Department to the body of 6 year old Damari Perry.
The body was recovered near an abandoned house in the 700 block of Van Buren St in Gary Indiana. The Indiana State Police and the Lake County Coroner’s office assisted in the recovery. The decedent was found naked and wrapped in a plastic trash bag and partially charred, according to The Lake County Coroner. The Lake County Coroner’s office retained custody of the body and an autopsy will be conducted.
Three adult family members believed to be involved with Damari’s death are currently in custody. All juvenile members of the family are in custody of DCFS. Detectives are working closely with the Illinois State’s Attorney’s office to bring charges against those responsible for Damari’s death.
North Chicago police said Damari and his 16-year-old sister were allegedly driven to a party in the Skokie area by a Black woman known only as “Monique” and a Black man known as “Wacko” or “Chaos.” Police later learned this story was not true.
On Saturday prosecutors said that Jannie M. Perry, 38, killed her son Damari Perry. She was charged with first degree murder, concealment of a homicidal death, and obstructing justice. Damari’s brother, Jeremiah R. Perry, 20, is charged with aggravated battery causing bodily harm to a child under 12, concealing a homicidal death, and obstructing justice. Another sibling faces charges in juvenile court, prosecutors added.
Jannie Perry (mother) lost custody of the children after a domestic violence investigation. Damari was placed into foster care shortly after he was born on Dec. 30, 2015, a standard procedure when someone is under investigation and other children have been removed from a home, according to DCFS spokesman Bill McCaffrey. Jannie Perry, regained custody of her children in 2017 after a court order.
DCFS also investigated an allegation of abuse or neglect involving Damari in May 2021, but the report was determined to be unfounded in June.
The autopsy of Damari conducted on January 10, 2022 revealed disturbing facts in his death. The Postmortem Examination was conducted by Dr. Zhou Wang, M.D., FCAP at the Lake County Coroner Office and Forensic Science Center, Crown Point, IN on Monday morning and found s scattered ecchymosis on the right leg, extremely cold core temperature, and partially frozen internal organs. In addition, there was postmortem thermal injury/charring over the body. Based on the above findings and the circumstance the pending cause of death is Hypothermia. Results for toxicology and histology are still pending and can take 3-4 weeks, Lake County Coroner David Pastrick added. The manner of death was determined Homicide.
Anyone with information on the case is asked to call North Chicago police at (847) 596-8740
