3-year-old dies weeks after being hospitalized following alleged abuse

NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. — UPDATE, April 24: Sources tell Channel 11 that 3-year-old Mikel has died from his injuries.

There is a growing makeshift memorial outside of the New Kensington playground where Mikel used to play.

Channel 11′s Melanie Gillespie is in touch with police working to learn if or when charges against Lilly will be upgraded.

ORIGINAL, April 15: A New Kensington toddler is in serious condition and a man is now facing charges in connection with his injuries.

Mikel Fetterman, who turned three-years-old on Sunday, was taken to Children’s Hospital on March 26 for “life saving measures,” according to a press release from police. He is still fighting for his life at the hospital.

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Doctors told police he’s covered in bruises, has a skull fracture, brain bleed and fractures all over in various stages of healing.

Investigators said someone called for help just around 1 a.m. that day for an unresponsive child.

Keith Lilly Jr. was arrested on April 3 for aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person. Lilly is the mother’s boyfriend, who lives with her at their Valley Royal Court apartment.

According to investigators, the mother said she was sleeping and the boy was left in the care of Lilly the night 911 was called. Lilly allegedly told officers Fetterman fell off the couch.

Lilly told police he gave him Tylenol and then found him not breathing before calling 911.

Doctors also said this wasn’t the first time Fetterman was abused. They told investigators there are new injuries and old injuries of not only physical trauma but suspicious of sexual abuse.

Neighbors told Channel 11 they noticed something was wrong just days before this happened and tried to intervene.

“A week before this happened we seen he had two black eyes, and then that’s when my sister called CYS and nothing was done," said neighbor Shannell Felton.

New Kensington police said CYS is involved now and running its own investigation parallel to their own.

The family is raising money for Fetterman’s care, which you can learn more about HERE.

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