Killer Of 2-Year-Old Odenton Boy Sentenced

ODENTON, MD — The boyfriend of a two-year-old boy’s mother who fatally punched or kicked the child was sentenced Friday to 20 years in prison with five years of supervised probation upon release for first-degree child abuse resulting in death. Dason Darius Hogan, 23, of Odenton, was sentenced in the death of Michael Lee-Ashley Stem; Hogan pleaded guilty to child abuse on April 27.

The child’s mother, three other children and Hogan had been staying at the Royal Inn, 1630 Annapolis Road, Odenton last year. Anne Arundel County Police and Fire Department personnel were called to the motel March 7, 2016, on a report of a possible cardiac incident involving the two-year-old boy.

Firefighters took Michael to Baltimore Washington Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner performed an autopsy on the child and ruled the cause of Michael’s death as blunt force trauma with the manner being homicide. The boy could not have survived the injury, according to the medical examiner.

"This man's use of brute force against a two-year-old child reveals a shocking lack of humanity," said Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Wes Adams in a statement. "I'm thankful to Judge (William) Mulford for ensuring this devastating loss of life is met with harsh punishment."

The toddler's injury was incapacitating, and would have been seen by the victim’s mother and others, Adams said previously. Authorities say the boy's death came from blunt force trauma to his abdomen caused by a forceful strike, such as a punch or kick.

Detectives say Hogan gave contradictory statements about what happened that morning when he watched Michael while the toddler’s mother was at work. Video surveillance reportedly showed Hogan walk three children to the bus stop and return shortly thereafter with Michael in good health. No one else was seen entering or exiting the hotel room until Michael’s mother was called about his injuries.

Cell phone records show that about 11:20 a.m., Hogan began contacting his girlfriend to request help for a medical emergency. When the woman arrived, she sawHogan attempting CPR on her unresponsive son. She told Hogan to call 9-1-1.

Hogan was initially charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, child abuse first-degree death, first-degree assault and second-degree assault in the toddler’s death.

»Photo of Dason Hogan, courtesy of Anne Arundel County Police