2-year-old boy left brain dead after allegedly being brutally beaten by babysitter

A 17-year-old New York teenager has been arrested for allegedly beating the 2-year-old boy he was babysitting until the child became brain dead. Ethan Bigham had been placed in the care of Devon Vanderwege when he brutally abused him at the little boy's family house trailer in Marilla.

"Ethan's entire face was mutilated, he was beaten so badly. His back is black and blue. We're told he was not only punched but some type of blunt object was used," a family friend told Buffalo News.

Ethan was initially placed on life support at Women & Children's Hospital, then his organs were donated for transplant to other children after which the life support was turned off. 

 

Devon has been charged with first-degree assault, but now that Ethan is dead, the authorities are looking to include additional charges. It's been revealed that the future charges against him could range from manslaughter to second-degree murder. 

The suspect is currently being detained without bail at the Erie County Holding Centre and will appear in court on Thursday. The police did not comment on the reason for the attack, but further revelations are expected to be made during the court hearing.