Boyfriend of the mother of Ezekiel Harry found guilty of drug, child abuse charges in the past

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - After police released the results of an autopsy report on the death of two-year-old Ezekiel Harry, FOX 8 is learning more about the criminal past of the man living with Harry, his mother and three siblings.

Jermaine Robinson, 36, was in and out of the Lafourche Parish criminal justice system, facing a 2017 charge of distribution of drugs and a 2009 charge of second-degree cruelty to a juvenile. Robinson pled guilty to both charges.

On the cruelty charge, Robinson was sentenced to serve five months at the Lafourche Parish Detention Center. He was sentenced to 11 days on the drug charge, but was credited with time served.

In Terrebonne Parish, Robinson was arrested in 2005 for a hit and run, and in 2006 pled guilty. He also faced 2016 felony charges of armed robbery, but accepted a plea deal for simple robbery and was sentenced to nine months with credit for time served.

Both Robinson and Harry’s mother Maya Jones, 28, were arrested on murder and obstruction of justice charges in the death of Harry. Police said the autopsy report shows the little boy died of severe blunt force trauma to the head.

“It’s just aggravating to hear all this going on,” said Cynthia Harry, Ezekiel’s grandmother. “We’re still trying to figure out, what made you do that?”

Cynthia Harry said she’s still trying to wrap her mind around what happened to her grandson. His three siblings are staying with her, along with their father Trey Harry.

“Zeke,” as his family referred to him as, was so full of life and energy, Cynthia Harry said.

“We had a great relationship. Every time he’d come to my house, ‘Mama, mama.’ I’d go in my room, he’d start banging on my door to come in, I’d have to open the door and let him come in,” she said. “He would come up to everybody. He didn’t even have to know you, he’ll give you a hug.”

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Harry said when the state placed the three children in her home, they told her what was happening in the home they shared with their mother and Robinson on Cadiere Street.

She said she had never met Robinson.

“When they came to me, the girls, the older one came to me and she was like, ‘Mama,’ she said, ‘We missed you so much. We couldn’t talk to you and reach out to you, I don’t have a phone no more,’” she said. “She was like, ‘Jermaine be beating us, and he whip us hard.’ And even the neighbors was saying that they’re hearing a lot of crying over there next door to them.”

When FOX 8 spoke with neighbors living near the home, they reported suspected abuse, screaming and yelling coming from the home.

“You can hear it inside my house, to the point that I had to move my daughter out of her room. Her room is in the upstairs corner of my house, and it was so bad that she couldn’t sleep at night,” said Sara Plaisance, who lives in the home across the street.

Plaisance said she called the police out to the home several times.

“Nothing was ever done,” she said. “They left, and for the past two weeks, it’s been quiet around the house. I thought things were getting better, but I guess they were just keeping things on the quiet.”

Now, Cynthia Harry said she and Trey Harry are preparing the three other children for the start of school next month, while also planning the funeral for Zeke.

“They’re taking it real hard, especially my son, oh my god. He’s taking it real hard, like every time you mention his name, he breaks down,” she said. “We don’t know, really know what happened. Cause [Maya] loved her son also, she would always hold him tight to her. She was attached to him.”

“I’m shocked, still in a state of shock,” she continued. “Why would you put your child in a trash can? Like, that’s your child. And you really acted like you loved him, you stuck by him.”

The funeral for Ezekiel is planned for next Saturday, July 23rd at 10 a.m. Family tells FOX 8 there is a vigil planned in front of the Terrebonne Courthouse for 7 p.m. Friday night.

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