CALIFORNIA CITY, CA - A man arrested for the death of a California City toddler, might have shown signs of violence in the past. That's according to newly released court documents.
Mathew Berry was arrested in the death of two-year old Pharoah Van Vactor. Berry was dating the toddler's mother, Adriana Brown.
A bus driver found Berry and the toddler on the side of the road last month. Pharoah was later pronounced dead.
The investigative report reveals Kern County detectives questioned a woman who allowed Berry to stay with her and her three-year-old son in the past. She told police she found "her son's lip was busted" on one occasion. And her son admitted "Berry slapped him in the face then covered his mouth so he wouldn't cry."
The woman later kicked Berry out but never went to police.
Court documents also show investigators interviewed Berry's sister, Cassie Gregory. She told detectives Berry was in the military and was suffering post traumatic stress disorder, but had been nothing but loving toward her daughter.
During Berry's interview about Pharoah's death, detectives noted Berry, "rambled on about his time in the military and having to watch friends die."
When asked if Berry had PTSD, he said "yes but he has it under control."
The court documents also show Pharaoh had bruises from his head to his toes and that "all bruises were caused by multiple strikes like from a fist."
And, when detectives told Berry there were signs of sodomy on the two-year old, "to this Berry chuckled."
Mathew Berry was arrested in the death of two-year old Pharoah Van Vactor. Berry was dating the toddler's mother, Adriana Brown.
A bus driver found Berry and the toddler on the side of the road last month. Pharoah was later pronounced dead.
The investigative report reveals Kern County detectives questioned a woman who allowed Berry to stay with her and her three-year-old son in the past. She told police she found "her son's lip was busted" on one occasion. And her son admitted "Berry slapped him in the face then covered his mouth so he wouldn't cry."
The woman later kicked Berry out but never went to police.
Court documents also show investigators interviewed Berry's sister, Cassie Gregory. She told detectives Berry was in the military and was suffering post traumatic stress disorder, but had been nothing but loving toward her daughter.
During Berry's interview about Pharoah's death, detectives noted Berry, "rambled on about his time in the military and having to watch friends die."
When asked if Berry had PTSD, he said "yes but he has it under control."
The court documents also show Pharaoh had bruises from his head to his toes and that "all bruises were caused by multiple strikes like from a fist."
And, when detectives told Berry there were signs of sodomy on the two-year old, "to this Berry chuckled."