‘She’s a monster’: Grandmother speaks out after 6-year-old boy’s homicide

By Erica Finke

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    MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (WISN) — Videos and pictures are all that Yvette Adams has left to remember her 6-year-old grandson, Zane McAttee-Adams.

Zane died after his stepmother, Anitra Burks, brought him to a hospital on July 21. Burks was Zane’s primary caretaker since the boy’s father — Adams’ son — was convicted of crimes in March.

“I just took off screaming, screaming and hollering. It just tore me up. I’m still tore up,” Adams said. “I asked my son not to leave him with her. I said, ‘Please give him to me.'”

Prosecutors charged Burks with first-degree intentional homicide in the boy’s death. According to court documents, Zane had “extensive bruising to the head and body” when he was brought to a hospital that day.

Medical staff noted a long list of injuries, including a broken rib and ruptured intestine, that they said couldn’t have happened accidentally. Zane’s heart and lungs later failed.

Prosecutors said Burks told investigators Zane had climbed on furniture and hurt himself in their apartment near 103rd Street and Mill Road because he had “behavior issues.” Adams said that’s not true.

“Even if he did, does that give you a right to brutalize, torture and kill a child? Murder? No, but he wasn’t any of that. He was so bright, very lovable. He just wanted to love and be loved,” Adams said.

Adams believes Zane would still be alive if he had been in someone else’s care, but she’s thankful he’s no longer in pain.

“I just feel like the good Lord took Zane home because he didn’t want him to go through any more abuse, and he was hurt. I mean, Lord knows all the pain he’s been enduring from her,” Adams said.

The boy’s family has a GoFundMe set up to help pay for his funeral.

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