At first glance, it seemed like any other moment between a mum and her child at the park. Romechia Simms was gently pushing her three-year-old son, Ji’Aire on a swing. But something felt off. A passerby noticed they’d been there far too long — two days in fact — and in freezing temperatures.
Worried, he called the police. When officers arrived at Wills Memorial Park in Maryland, USA, what they found was devastating. Ji’Aire was completely still. He had died from dehydration and hypothermia. He wasn’t wearing a coat or shoes. Romechia, visibly distressed, later told police that voices in her head warned her not to stop pushing the swing — that something terrible would happen if she did, reported the Daily Star.
The tragedy happened in May 2015, but it’s a case that’s haunted many ever since. Romechia had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, and her mental health had already raised red flags. She’d been hospitalised twice while caring for Ji’Aire, and her family knew she’d been struggling. She believed people were following her, once jumping out of a moving taxi with her son, terrified they were being chased.
Her mum tried to help and took her in, but Romechia had secretly stopped taking her medication. On the morning of May 20, she told her mum she was popping out to the pharmacy and then the park. She never came back.
Eyewitnesses said she arrived at the park around 11:15 am and placed Ji’Aire on the swing. From there, she pushed him nonstop for 40 hours.
Back in court, Romechia was charged with manslaughter, child neglect, and abuse. She faced up to 45 years behind bars. But during her 2016 trial, the judge ruled she was suffering from a severe mental illness and wasn’t aware of her actions. She pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter but was ultimately released under strict conditions, including supervised contact with children and ongoing psychiatric care.
Prosecutor Tony Covington agreed with the outcome, though he said the whole situation was deeply frustrating. “Ji’Aire Lee should still be alive today,” he said. “His mother, who knew she had a mental illness, did not remain vigilant in her own mental health treatment. Ji’Aire died because of that neglect.”
The heartbreaking story has recently resurfaced online, sparking fresh anger. Many have pointed fingers at the system, questioning why Romechia was allowed to have custody, and why help came too late for Ji’Aire.
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