Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)

Multiple sources confirm inflicted injury. The ocala.com article states the autopsy found Jermiyah died from "a skull fracture, subdural hemorrhage, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries" stemming from "abusive trauma of the head and neck." The Law&Crime article states "He had bruises all over his body that were consistent with abuse, and he had retinal hemorrhages." The ocala.com article also notes "the boy had injuries on his forehead, chest, back, ribs and arms." The manner of death was ruled homicide. The mother also admitted to holding the child in a "lock position" according to the ocala.com article.

Is there any mention of medical neglect?

The fatality report states the mother observed the child was "stiff as a board and unresponsive" at approximately 11:00 PM and "She did not notify anyone of the child's abnormal state." She did not have 911 called until 7:16 AM the next morning — an approximately 8-hour delay. The disability-memorial.org page states the mother "did not call an ambulance until a day after the injury happened." The Law&Crime article further notes the mother "said she was too scared to call because she did not want an open investigation by DCF." This failure to seek timely medical care constitutes medical neglect.

Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?

The autopsy determined the cause of death was "abusive trauma of the head and neck," which is abusive head trauma by definition. The ocala.com article states the child suffered "a skull fracture, subdural hemorrhage, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries" from this abusive trauma. The Law&Crime article adds that the child had "retinal hemorrhages," which are a hallmark finding of abusive head trauma.

Was a biological mother involved in the death?

Tracie Puskac, the biological mother, was charged with second-degree murder in connection with Jermiyah's death. The ocala.com article states: "Tracie Renee Puskac was booked into the Marion County Jail on Monday" and the manner of death was homicide from "abusive trauma of the head and neck." The fatality report identifies Tracie Puskac as the child's mother.

Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)

Multiple sources state that the child had autism. The ocala.com article reports: "Puskac told Deputy Chad Haufler that Jermiyah has autism." The disability-memorial.org page lists "Disability: Autism." The Law&Crime article states: "Puskac said her son had autism and 'bangs his head a lot.'"

Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?

The fatality report states: "The family had open services at the time of the child's passing." The ocala.com article states: "They had been placed there by the state Department of Children and Families, which still had an open case. The case was scheduled to be closed on May 31." The children had previously been placed in foster care by DCF, indicating prior child protection involvement. The Law&Crime article notes: "she was too scared to call because she did not want an open investigation by DCF."

Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?

The children had been in foster care but were returned to the mother approximately six months before the incident. The ocala.com article states: "Puskac told Lightle that her children had returned from foster care about six months ago. They had been placed there by the state Department of Children and Families, which still had an open case." The WESH article confirms: "she told detectives she just got all three of the children back from foster care six months ago."

Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?

The ocala.com article states: "Tracie Renee Puskac was booked into the Marion County Jail on Monday" and was "charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of her 17-month-old son." The WESH article confirms: "So we have charged her with second degree murder." The Law&Crime article adds she "is currently being held at the Marion County Jail in Florida, on a count of second-degree murder."

Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?

The ocala.com article states: "According to the Marion County Children's Alliance Violence Protect Workgroup, the death of her son Jermiyah was the first domestic violence homicide of 2023 in Marion County." The child's death was officially classified as a domestic violence homicide.

Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?

The ocala.com article states: "Puskac said she had used fentanyl in the past but was sober at the time of the child's death." Additionally, the grandmother told the detective "that children had been taken by DCF because Puskac's sister falsely accused Puskac of using drugs." These references establish substance use history by the parent/caregiver.

Several notable details emerge from the text. First, DCF had an open case with the family that was scheduled to close on May 31, 2023 — just one month after Jermiyah's death — and the children had only been returned from foster care approximately six months prior, raising questions about reunification oversight. Second, the Law&Crime article reports that during the death investigation, the mother made alarming statements including "I'll just have another one" and "I can go and get pregnant and have my baby," and also resisted signing a safety plan. Third, the mother gave multiple shifting stories about the child's injuries — first claiming the child banged his own head, then that he fell in the bathtub, then trying to blame the 4-year-old sibling with a toy, and also claiming the child fell off a bed. Fourth, the mother admitted she "was too scared to call because she did not want an open investigation by DCF," contributing to the approximately 8-hour delay in seeking medical care.