East Providence Police arrest couple after 15-month-old has life threatening injuries

EAST PROVIDENCE, RI – On October 31, 2019, East Providence Police Dept. detectives responded to Hasbro Children’s Hospital for a report of a possible case of child abuse. Upon arrival doctors from the Lawrence A. Aubin, Sr. Child Protection Center informed detectives of a 15-month-old infant who was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with potentially life-threatening injuries. The infant had been brought to Hasbro by his biological mother and the mother’s boyfriend. It was determined that the injuries were the result of blunt force trauma as well as other injuries consistent with strangulation.

A joint investigation was conducted by East Providence police detectives, Dept. of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) investigators, and Aubin Center doctors. Based on information obtained during the course of the investigation detectives secured arrest warrants on November 10, 2019 for the infant’s mother, Trinity Neal, 19. of East Providence and the mother’s boyfriend Jolaon Perry, 22, also of East Providence. On Nov. 10. 2019, both Neal and Perry were taken into custody by East Providence police detectives and patrol officers, without incident.

Neal and Perry were each charged with one count of first degree child abuse, one count of second degree child abuse and one count of cruelty to or neglect of a child. Both were arraigned and held on $20,000 bail with surety.

The infant has been released from Hasbro Children’s Hospital and is currently in DCYF custody.

This is an ongoing investigation.