Tampa Man Accused Of Punching, Killing 7-Year-Old Stepson

TAMPA, FL - A Tampa man has been accused of killing his 7-year-old stepson by punching him in the face, mouth and stomach with a closed fist, throwing the child around a hotel room and shoving his face into the carpet, deputies said. The man also urged the boy's siblings in the Masters Inn hotel room in Seffner to punch the child, authorities said. The stepfather was identified as 31-year-old Jack Junior Montgomery of 3718 E. 38th Ave. in Tampa.

Montgomery, whose birthday is Sunday, Dec. 31, was arrested at 4:10 p.m. for the death of Brice Russell. Montgomery is being charged with aggravated child abuse and first-degree murder. He is in custody and is being booked at the Orient Road Jail in Hillsborough County.

Authorities say at about 10:50 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 30, Montgomery called 911 to report that his stepson would not wake up and was not breathing inside Room 205 at the Masters Inn in Seffner, 6010 State Road 579. Within minutes, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue responded to the scene and found Brice lying in bed. He was pronounced dead at 10:59 a.m.

Investigators say this is what happened:

Montgomery was left in charge of Brice and his three other siblings while their mother, Donya Shenita Russell, 28, worked through the night. The children reported being woken up to the victim crying, being hit and thrown around the room. Montgomery threatened the same violence against the other children if they did not join in with him and strike their brother. One child did strike Brice, deputies said.

The children saw Montgomery pick Brice up by the leg and throw him against a shelf along the wall. The children told detectives they saw blood coming from his nose and mouth and that their brother never woke up after that. The Medical Examiner's Office determined the victim's death was the result of homicidal violence.

Image via Shutterstock; mugshot via Hillsborough County Jail