Man, ex-girlfriends charged in deaths of 2 babies
By Stacia Glenn, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 11/06/2008 06:14:22 PM PST
SAN BERNARDINO - Two baby girls killed years ago in separate abusive households were recently linked to the same man, prompting murder charges Thursday against him and two former girlfriends.
Ivan Benjamin Hancock, 46, first blipped onto the district attorney's radar in 2004 when he was arrested on suspicion of beating his girlfriend's 17-month-old daughter to death.
"It looked liked him from the get-go, but we had no real evidence to prove it," said Colton homicide Detective Jack Morenberg.
Two years later, San Bernardino police began investigating Hancock after his new girlfriend's 15-month-old baby girl was found not breathing with head injuries in the couple's South Foisy Street apartment.
Still, he managed to escape being charged.
That is, until a prosecutor in the crimes against children unit recognized Hancock's name and linked him to the Colton baby's death.
Prosecutors on Thursday slapped him with two counts of murder, two counts of assault on a child causing death and a child abuse charge in connection with beating a surviving child.
His former girlfriends face similar charges.
Hancock is serving time in prison on drug charges.
Colton police were called to a Rialto Avenue apartment on Aug. 4, 2004, on report of a child not breathing. Amber Russell, who was 17 months old, died soon after.
Hancock and his teenage son were arrested on suspicion of child abuse but not charged. The mother, Iyesha Marie Lightcsy, was charged Thursday with murder and assault on a child causing death.
Other children living in the home were turned over to Child Protective Services.
A similar scenario played out for San Bernardino police on New Year's Eve in 2006 when they were called to a South Foisy Street home because little Talonia Johnson had apparently stopped breathing.
She was taken to Loma Linda University Medical Center, where she was taken off life support two days later.
Her mother, Talonia Kaye Henderson, was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and released from jail less than a week later. She is serving time in prison after being arrested in September on burglary and possession of methaphetamine charges.
She and Hancock have also been charged with child abuse in connection with beating Talonia's twin, who survived and was placed with Child Protective Services.
These were "similar circumstances where a young baby had been killed also," said San Bernardino police Lt. Scott Paterson.
It is unknown when the suspects will be arraigned on the new charges.
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