A Louisville father has been arrested and charged after police say he brutally assaulted his 5-year-old son, leading to the child’s death in a case that has shocked the Kentucky community.

According to the Louisville Metro Police Department, 24-year-old Laron D. Gardner Jr. stands accused of murder, first-degree child abuse, and assault following the death of his son, Elious Rayne.

Authorities responded to a distress call just after 3 p.m. Tuesday at a home in the 2900 block of Conestoga Avenue, where they found the boy suffering from “traumatic injuries due to a fall.” Paramedics rushed Elious to a children’s hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday.

However, investigators quickly determined that the injuries were not consistent with an accidental fall. An autopsy confirmed that Elious suffered “numerous severe injuries to multiple areas of his body, which caused his death,” WLKY reported, citing an arrest affidavit.

Gardner was reportedly home alone with Elious and his sister at the time. The sister later told investigators that Gardner kicked, slammed, and bit the boy before throwing him down the stairs.

Police arrested Gardner on Friday, and during a Saturday court appearance, a judge set his bond at $1 million cash, citing concerns about public safety. “There’s no question that Mr. Gardner is a danger to this community and a danger to victims that remain in the household that he was in and possibly to the community at large,” the judge stated, according to WLKY.

Gardner remains in custody at Louisville Metro Corrections and is scheduled to appear in court on September 15.

In the wake of this tragedy, the boy’s grieving family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover funeral costs. “Not only have we lost Eli, we had to find out the way it happened,” the fundraiser reads.

This heartbreaking case has raised renewed concerns about child safety and abuse in Kentucky, sparking discussions about stronger child protection measures and support systems for at-risk families.

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