A 29-year-old Memphis woman, Domnica Mosby, has been arrested after allegedly confessing to a gruesome and unthinkable crime: she tortured and killed her boyfriend’s 3-year-old son, Kevin Horton, police say. The details of the abuse are deeply disturbing, and investigators report she has admitted to causing burns, internal injuries, and ultimately, death.
According to court records, Mosby was arrested on November 15 after officers responded to a 911 call around 3 a.m. at the home on Beacon Hills Road. Kevin’s father found the little boy unresponsive, and paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
In her confession, Mosby allegedly admitted to placing a lit cigarette in Kevin’s ear and burning his genitals with a lighter — punishment, she said, came after he urinated on the floor. She further told investigators she stomped on his stomach with the heel of her boot and repeatedly hit him with both closed and open hands on his torso and chest when he wouldn’t lie down.
Mosby initially told police she thought Kevin was sick and vomiting earlier that night, after she put him to bed. But investigators say the abuse was far more sinister than a simple misunderstanding.
An autopsy revealed the full extent of the injuries: Kevin had a lacerated liver, internal bleeding in his abdomen, widespread bruises across his torso, and burns on his ear and genitals. The medical examiner ruled his death a homicide.
Also chilling: Kevin’s aunt told authorities she had previously noticed unexplained injuries — a bruise on his face, a scratch, and a cut on his lip — that weren’t consistent with normal play.
Mosby is now facing first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated child neglect charges. She’s being held without bond and is scheduled to appear in court this Friday.
This case has left the Memphis community reeling. Friends and family have expressed deep sorrow over Kevin’s death, while questioning how such horrific violence went unnoticed for so long in his young life.
