Mother, boyfriend allegedly confined 6-year-old to pen, stapled him to wall, and fatally abused him

MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. (TCN) -- A 25-year-old mother and her 32-year-old boyfriend face charges after allegedly confining a 6-year-old boy to a pen and causing blunt force injuries to his abdomen, ultimately leading to his death.

According to Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald, on July 30, Elaina Jennings called 911 and said her young son, Giovanni "Chulo" Jennings, was unconscious. Responders rushed the 6-year-old boy to the hospital via ambulance, and he ultimately died from his injuries around midnight on July 31.

McDonald said Jennings lied to police, claiming she had left her son with his biological father and that he was uninjured before he was with him. Authorities arrested the biological father but later learned he was not near the victim that day. Investigators did not find any evidence indicating that the child’s father was involved with the boy’s injuries or death.

According to McDonald, officials recovered "disturbing" videos, photos, and messages detailing the "horrific things that happened" to the boy.

An autopsy revealed Giovanni Jennings died from blunt force trauma to his abdomen and a perforated bowel "after a lengthy period of confinement and abuse." The child’s death was ruled a homicide.

The victim sustained bruising and cuts all over his body, including on his head, shoulder, forearms, fingers, thumbs, back, buttocks, inner thighs, knees, and shins. The child also reportedly suffered bruising to his abdominal area and had a BB gun injury on his shin.

McDonald said a "pattern of abuse" led to Giovanni Jennings’ death.

The victim’s siblings were reportedly present and witnessed his alleged abuse.

Elaina Jennings and her boyfriend, Daniel Giacchina, allegedly kept the child confined to a pen in their bedroom and beat him. McDonald alleges that as punishment for looking out the window, Giacchina allegedly stapled the boy to the corner of the room with his face toward the wall. Afterward, he reportedly texted a photo to Jennings of the victim stapled to the wall, explaining that he solved the problem.

McDonald said investigators learned the boy was left in his pen to sleep on a wooden slab, and the suspects monitored him with a security camera. Jennings and her boyfriend allegedly watched video clips of the child misbehaving, which included him trying to urinate, drink, or leave the corner.

Jennings reportedly failed to take her son to a medical facility because she feared they would uncover the abuse. Cellphone evidence revealed that Jennings knew about the abuse and even encouraged her boyfriend to beat him.

Giacchina reportedly watched the victim often while Jennings was at work. He also typically cared for the 6-year-old’s siblings and a 5-year-old child.

Police recovered a BB gun, a ghost gun, and rounds of ammunition in the home. According to the prosecutor’s office, authorities also noticed marks in the wall consistent with a staple gun, as well as holes with BBs still in them.

McDonald said investigators found a photo of Giacchina with two children handling the ghost gun and the BB gun. They also reportedly found a photo on Jennings’ phone of two children pointing a gun at another child with his hands up, and the laser from the ghost gun illuminating his hand.

According to McDonald, authorities interviewed a 4-year-old sibling at a child advocacy center. He reportedly said Giacchina had shot him in the leg with a BB gun and showed the wound. On the day of Giovanni Jennings’ death, the 4-year-old allegedly said the victim "died all day." The 4-year-old alleged that Jennings punched the child, and he began vomiting before his condition worsened.

McDonald said her office charged Giacchina last week with firearm possession by a prohibited person, ammunition possession by a felon, felony firearm, and lying to a peace officer. Jennings was charged with lying to a peace officer. They now also face charges of murder and first-degree child abuse.

In a statement, McDonald said, "All children have a right to grow up in a home free of fear."

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