Mother, boyfriend charged with murder of Round Lake Beach 8-year-old

A Round Lake Beach woman and her boyfriend have been charged with murder following the death of her 8-year-old son, authorities announced Saturday.

Dominique Servant, 33, of the 1900 block of Cedar Lake Road, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of child endangerment causing death.

Her boyfriend, Joey L. Ruffin, 38, of the same address, is facing identical charges.

Ruffin isn’t the child’s father. Attempts to notify the boy’s father are ongoing, said Chris Covelli, a spokesperson for the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force.

Police and firefighters were dispatched to the family’s house about 2 p.m. Friday for a report of an unresponsive child, police said in a news release.

Police and paramedics tried to resuscitate the boy, whose name wasn’t released because of his age. He was pronounced dead at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville.

First responders had noticed the child appeared malnourished and was bruised. Based on those suspicions, Round Lake Beach police asked the task force for help.

Servant and Ruffin were arrested Friday night.

An autopsy conducted the same night indicated the boy had suffered from long-term malnourishment and physical abuse, authorities said.

Two siblings — a 10-year-old girl and a 3-year-old boy — also live in the house, Covelli said. The older child showed signs of abuse and malnourishment and was admitted to a hospital, he said.

The youngest child was taken into custody by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

Servant and Ruffin are scheduled to appear in Lake County court Sunday morning. Prosecutors intend to request they remain in jail while awaiting trial.

Round Lake Beach police and the task force are investigating.