Jury selection began this morning in the murder trial of a Chattanooga man charged in the 2010 beating death of his 3-year-old son.
Reginald Dewayne Tumlin, 32, faces charges of felony murder, aggravated child abuse and neglect.
Police arrested Tumlin in May 2010 on drug-related charges shortly after his son, Jaylen Ramsey, died at Children's Hospital.
According to court records, Tumlin’s girlfriend drove Ramsey to the hospital about 5 a.m. on May 1, 2010 when the boy complained of "stomach pain" and was "gasping for air."
An autopsy later showed more than 50 bruises on various parts of the toddler's face and body, numerous lacerations and a healing burn on the back of his left thigh.
The medical examiner's report listed "bowel perforation due to blunt force abdominal trauma" as the likely cause of death.
For complete details, see tomorrow's Times Free Press.
Todd South covers courts, poverty, technology, military and veterans for the Times Free Press. He has worked at the paper since 2008 and previously covered crime and safety in Southeast Tennessee and North Georgia. Todd’s hometown is Dodge City, Kan. He served five years in the U.S. Marine Corps and deployed to Iraq before returning to school for his journalism degree from the University of Georgia. Todd previously worked at the Anniston (Ala.) Star. Contact ...
