Kansas City Mom Charged After Deadly Fall Of 5-Year-Old Grayson O'Connor

Earlier today the Jackson County Prosecutor's office shared more detail with the public in the aftermath of the tragic death of a youngster inside the downtown Kansas City loop.

Follow-up for the horrific local case deserves consideration from our www.TonysKansasCity.com blog community . . . Our main takeaway fro this news:

We've talked to a few experts and the endangerment charge carries a great deal of weight. When the charge results in death it is a Class A felony that could carry a sentence between 10 years to life.

We'll link more local stories in another post but right now the word from the courthouse should take center stage . . . 

Mother of deceased 5-year-old child charged in his death

A Kansas City woman whose son was found deceased in November outside a Downtown high-rise has been charged in connection with the child's death, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker announced today.

Corrinne O'Connor faces Endangering The Welfare of a Child in the 1st Degree.*

According to court records, on Nov. 27, 2023, Kansas City police officers were dispatched to an alley behind a Downtown building and found a deceased 5-year-old child. The child had obviously fallen from a floor far above. Investigators observed an open window on the 17th floor. Officers found the defendant inside the apartment, in front of the window. An officer asked where her son was and she responded, to the effect, 'went out the window." The property manager told police that every window had "stops" to prevent the window from being opened beyond a few inches. Officers observed that it appeared that the "stops" had been removed on both sides of the window.

Jackson County Prosecutor Baker issued the following statement today:

"I went to this scene to engage at the earliest possible moments of the investigation. The police investigative team have worked diligently on this investigation, ensuring our ability to file charges against the defendant for the harm to this child. While normally charges are announced quickly, all cases are not the same and investigations take multiple steps. In this case, my office filed charges on Dec. 14, 2023. The court issued an order sealing the case until the defendant could be taken into custody. That seal prevented us from even confirming that the case was reviewed and charged by prosecutors though we have continued to engage our resources on this crime.

"Anytime a child is injured, the criminal justice system is expected to address harm. It is our hope that the judicial process will find appropriate outcomes for the harm caused."

This case was unsealed today after the defendant was taken into custody late last week.

Prosecutors requested a $100,000 cash bond.
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