Stepdad said 2-year-old was ‘a lot’ after beating boy to death, trying to claim he choked on cloth: Police

A 26-year-old man in Arizona has been arrested for allegedly killing his 2-year-old stepchild, beating the boy to death and explaining to authorities that the toddler was “a lot.”

Hein Lwin was taken into custody in October and is currently facing charges of premeditated first-degree murder in the child’s slaying, authorities announced.

According to a news release from the Peoria Police Department, officers at about 6:15 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24, responded to a call at an apartment complex in the area near 108th Avenue and Olive Avenue. The caller identified himself as Lwin and told the emergency dispatcher that his stepchild “was choking on a cloth.”

“Peoria Officers and Peoria Fire-Medical attempted life-saving measures and transported the child to a local hospital,” police wrote in the release. “During the investigation, it was determined Hein physically abused the child multiple times, causing serious physical injuries. The child sadly passed away on October 27, 2024. Detectives later amended charges to First-Degree Murder while Hein was still in custody.”

A probable cause affidavit obtained by Phoenix, Arizona, CBS affiliate KTVK provided additional information about the circumstances of the child’s death.

The report states that when police and medics got to Lwin’s home, they noticed visible ligature marks on the victim’s neck.

In a subsequent interview with detectives, Lwin reportedly said that he put the boy down for a nap at about 3:30 p.m. and then went down to the gym in his apartment complex. He claimed that when he got back home between 30 and 40 minutes later, the child was lying on the floor in close proximity to a belt.

However, as the questioning continued, Lwin reportedly admitted that he had recently attended a session with a counselor and was frustrated. He then took that frustration out on his stepson, adding that the child was “a lot.” Lwin further confessed to detectives that throughout the day he struck the boy in the head with an open hand about 15 times.

Lwin also reportedly said that he had “rough-housed” with the child by tossing him onto the bed by the back of his shirt and swinging him in circles. Lwin claimed that when picking up the child by the shirt, the collar became tight around his neck and also said that while roughhousing, the boy struck his head on the headboard of the bed about three times and split his lip, KTVK reported.

Per the report, Lwin helped clean the boy’s lip, but saw the child about 40 minutes later having difficulty breathing and decided to call his wife and then called 911.

As the interview continued, police informed Lwin that his stepson was not likely to survive his injuries.

“I deserve everything that is coming to me,” Lwin reportedly said in response. He was then booked on charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault on a child, and child abuse before the charges were upgraded to murder, records show.

Lwin is currently being held in the Maricopa County Jail without bond. He is scheduled to make his next court appearance on Friday for an arraignment proceeding.

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