Family prays for a miracle after a 6-year-old who was allegedly beaten by his stepfather was declared brain dead

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WFSB/Gray News) – The family of a 6-year-old Connecticut boy remains hopeful he will survive after police say he, his mother and brother were beaten with a baseball bat by his stepfather.

Jathan Escobar, 6, is on life support and has been declared brain dead, his family says, but they are not giving up and are instead praying for a miracle, according to WFSB.

“He has no blood flow to his head. It doesn’t flow past his head. His heart is beating because of the medication, they tell us, and he is also on a ventilator,” said Sasha Heron, Jathan’s cousin. “We are religious and believe he can come back with a miracle.”

According to police, the boy’s stepfather, 38-year-old Abdulrahim Sulaiman, was charged with attempted murder and other crimes following a domestic violence incident last Wednesday. He is accused of beating his 33-year-old wife Jathan and the boy’s four-year-old brother, Eli Escobar, with a baseball bat.

Prosecutors believe Jathan’s chance of survival is close to 0%, but his family is still holding out hope. They describe the 6-year-old as a beautiful soul despite being surrounded by violence.

“He was always so happy and just enjoyed life, no matter what. He was always so happy with everyone,” Heron said. “It just hurts us to see that he had to go through such violence.”

The family wants to move the six-year-old to another hospital for long-term care.

Sulaiman is being held on a $10 million bond. His wife told police he had recently smoked PCP and had been violent.

The family says the mother had only known Sulaiman for a year and had been married to him for a few months.

“I knew he was going to beat her because she told me, and I knew he had threatened to kill her and the children,” said Sandra Escobar, Jathan’s aunt.

The family claims they contacted the Ministry of Children and Families several times because Sulaiman was violent and threatening. DCF would not confirm that they had been contacted, but said the department was investigating along with Bridgeport police.

Two GoFundMe pages have been set up to support the family. You can find them by clicking here or here.

WFSB has reached out to Sulaiman’s attorney and is awaiting a response.

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