Boyfriend Charged With Murder In Boy's Beating Death: Prosecutor

BRANDON, FL — A Brandon man accused of beating his girlfriend's 8-year-old son to death in October has been indicted on a murder charge.

Tyrone Covington, 40, abused the victim with a belt on Oct. 22, the State Attorney's Office said. The boy struggled to breathe, and after he became unconscious, his mother called 9-1-1.

Prosecutors said the boy was first taken to Brandon Hospital, and then airlifted to John's Hopkins All Children's Hospital, where he died the next day.

Doctors noted several large areas of bruises, welts, scarring and small lacerations on the child's lower back and rear area.

Covington will be prosecuted for the intentional murder of the boy. Autopsy results concluded the child's death was caused by blunt trauma, and it was ruled as a homicide.

Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office issued a warrant for Covington's arrest, and on Feb. 1, Covington was taken into custody by the St. Petersburg Police Department.