Mother charged with felony child abuse causing death

Sunday, September 13, officers with the Modesto Police Department responded to a call of a medical emergency at an apartment that they had previously visited in March to investigate an incident of child abuse.

Inside the apartment, EMTs and fire personnel were administering emergency medical aid to 7-year-old David Turner. He was transported to the hospital with "serious injuries consistent with abuse." He was listed in critical condition.

In a GoFundMe organized by David's aunt Brandy Blackwell, she states that, "They were able to bring him back, but he's already coded again. As of right now, we are at a standstill. The doctors say his body is too weak to fight, he went too long without oxygen and now has no brain activity."

David was kept on life support until his father was able to make it to the hospital from Texas.

David passed away on the evening of September 17 according to the Modesto Police Department.

Monday morning, David's 35-year-old mother Jovonna Cruz was charged with felony child abuse causing death. She is additionally charged with permitting a child to suffer under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury or death.  Her bail was set at $250.000. Her next court date is scheduled for September 29.

Her boyfriend, 41-year-old Eyvar Rivera was also arrested and charged with permitting a child to suffer under circumstances likely to cause great bodily injury or death, but he bonded out of the Stanislaus County Jail the following day. His next court date is not known.