Trial starts Monday for man charged in toddler’s death

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A murder trial is slated to begin Monday more than three years after a toddler died after being taken to a Brunswick County hospital.

An autopsy showed Jaronn McAllister, 3, died of blunt force trauma on March 1, 2012. His mother’s boyfriend Montey Murray, who had been caring for the boy the night before along with another man, took the child to Brunswick Novant Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead 15 minutes later. Investigators say Murray then left the hospital and later led law enforcement on a chase down US 17.

Murray, 29, has been in jail ever since.

In August 2013, a grand jury indicted Murray on charges of first-degree murder and child abuse. Murray is also charged with drug possession, fleeing to elude, assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, according to the Brunswick County Jail website.

The NC Department of Correction website shows Murray has a criminal history that includes convictions for robbery and drugs.