Stapleton lived in the same home as Brett Jaynes II and was taking care of the boy and five other children Sunday when the man called 9-1-1 to report Brett was unresponsive and having trouble breathing, deputies said.
Brett was transported by medics and died hours later at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
“All I can see is him on that bed every time I close my eyes,” said Brett Jaynes Sr., the boy’s father.
Investigators have accused Stapleton of beating the boy to death.
A judge set Stapleton’s bond at $1 million when he appeared in a video arraignment in Champaign County Municipal Court on Wednesday. Champaign County Prosecutor Kevin Talebi said he believed the suspect to be a flight risk.
Stapleton didn’t enter a plea in court because he didn’t have a lawyer.
Franklin County coroner’s investigators determined the boy’s preliminary cause of death was the “result of a hemorrhage due to blunt force trauma to the abdomen and the head, causing internal bleeding,” according to Champaign County court documents.
One of the bruises on the boy’s forehead appeared to be in the shape of knuckles balled into a fist, according to the coroner’s report.
“No kid deserves this — my boy didn’t deserve this and my boy should be right here,” Jaynes Sr. said.
Erika Grezenbach, Brett’s mother, said her son always talked about growing up to be big and strong like his favorite superhero, The Hulk.
“We’re never going to see our son again,” she said.
The family said they never imagined the suspect could harm their child.
“He was a quiet (man) — I mean and he was real good around his kids and stuff,” said Donna Jaynes, Brett’s grandmother.
A grand jury is expected to hear the case next week, Talebi said. Right now Stapleton’s next scheduled municipal court date is Dec. 10.
Brett’s parents said they haven’t been able to sleep since their son’s death and they hope they get justice from the courts.
“Never do I want him to be able to see the light of day again,” Donna Jaynes said. “He should never be around another child to be able to do this to anybody else’s family — to put them through this (grief).”
Brett would have turned 5 on Dec. 15. His father explained to his 6-year-old daughter, Brett’s sister, that this year the little boy will celebrate with the angels.
“I told her he’s going to have a birthday cake with cloud frosting,” Brett Jaynes Sr. said.
Family friends have started two GoFundMe pages. Any money left over from funeral expenses, the family said they will donate in Brett’s name to organizations that protect abused children.
“To me that seems like the best thing he can do to carry on a legacy that he didn’t get to achieve,” the father said.
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