BALTIMORE _ A jury has found a North Baltimore man guilty of beating to death his girlfriend's toddler last year.
Francois Brown, 36, was convicted of second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death Monday in Baltimore Circuit Court. He faces life in prison and his sentencing is scheduled for November.
During trial, prosecutors had accused Brown of walking 18-month-old Zaray Gray back from the playground in July 2018, taking the boy alone behind an apartment building and unleashing the fatal blows. Within hours, the boy was unconscious. He never woke up.
An autopsy found little Zaray suffered a fractured clavicle, bruises to his face and internal bleeding. Doctors found tears to his bowels "likely caused by multiple blows to the abdomen," police wrote in charging documents.
Detectives charged Brown with second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death. In heading to trial, he turned down a plea deal for 40 years in prison.
He had previously served three years in prison for the death of his son in 2012. The 7-month-old boy was hospitalized with rib fractures and bleeding in his brain.
Brown submitted an Alford plea _ a guilty plea without admitting culpability _ to child abuse resulting in death. Circuit Judge Timothy Doory sentenced him to 15 years in prison with all but four years suspended. Brown served two years and 11 months.
Also, prosecutors told a judge of another child whom they allege Brown hurt. In November 2017, his girlfriend's daughter suffered bruised ribs and a broken femur. The girl survived; Brown has not been charged in that incident.
Last year, Brown met little Zaray's mother on the dating website Plenty Of Fish. Whitney West testified last week, telling a jury that initially Brown was an extra hand around the house.
"If I needed help with anything dealing with Zaray," she said, "he was really helpful."
West also told the jury that Brown had mentioned the death of his own son. He had told her authorities tried to blame him, but he was cleared of the boy's death, West said.
"He told me that he was not guilty," she told the jury.
