4 people accused of failing to report child abuse just days before 3-year-old boy died

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Four more people are now facing charges in the death of a Brevard County boy.

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Jameson Nance was just 3 years old when West Melbourne police said he was beaten to the point of having a heart attack and dying last June.

His mother, Erica Dotson, was arrested along with her boyfriend, Joshua Manns, who is suspected of beating Jameson.

READ: Arrest made in suspicious death of 3-year-old in West Melbourne

They are both facing charges, including first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse.

Police said Jameson was brought to his day care, Health First Center for Child Development on Sheridan Road, nine days before he died.

Investigators said he had bruises and that should have been reported, but it was not.

Dotson told lead teacher Elizabeth Fowler that the bruises “were the result of a duck attacking him.”

READ: Suspicious death of 3-year-old under investigation in West Melbourne

Police brought charges against Fowler and two other day care workers for not reporting the abuse, along with a Department of Children and Families child protection investigator, who was at the facility the day Jameson was brought in.

Even though Jameson told workers a similar story about the duck, there were inconsistencies in his version of how it happened.

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Investigators said because of their jobs, all four of the suspects are mandated by law to report that kind of abuse, but none of them did.

Dallas Jasper, Jaymie Gaucher, Elizabeth Fowler and Kristal Samuel have lost their jobs.

The three day care workers have been arrested and bonded out of jail.

The DCF investigator may live out of state now, but Channel 9 is still trying to verify that.

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