A North Carolina man has been charged with first-degree murder in the fatal stabbing of his 5-year-old son. Jehaaz-Akil Khaliq Echoles, 31, was arrested Thursday by Pineville police after responding to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon.
Officers arrived at an apartment complex shortly after midnight and found the child with multiple stab wounds. They provided emergency medical care and transported the boy to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police stated the incident was domestic and not random. The motive remains unclear.
According to an arrest affidavit, Echoles allegedly kicked down his ex-girlfriend's apartment door, entered their son's room, and closed the door. The mother reported hearing a disturbance, opening the bedroom door, and then witnessing Echoles flee. She discovered the child bleeding and unresponsive and immediately called 911. The mother and another child present in the home were unharmed.
Authorities apprehended Echoles at a nearby Taco Bell. The Pineville Police Department confirmed the charges.
Echoles has a documented history of assault. He was convicted in October 2020 for assaulting a woman and has several other assault-related cases pending. This year, he has been accused of two separate assaults on women, including allegations of beating one woman with a belt and throwing keys at another after a dispute over a borrowed car.
Echoles is being held in the Mecklenburg County Jail without bond. His next court date is scheduled for July 30.