Bernice Jones

ST. LOUIS — The deaths of two babies born prematurely after an assault on their mother earlier this year in north St. Louis have been ruled as homicides. Authorities say the suspect, a 15-year-old boy, assaulted his then-pregnant 23-year-old sister on March 15 in the 4800 block of Fountain Avenue, in the city's Fountain Park neighborhood, causing her to give birth prematurely eight days later. One of the babies, Armethus Jones, died 15 hours after he was born, and the other, Bernice Jones, survived two days. The 15-year-old was charged with domestic assault and sent to juvenile court on the day of the assault. He remains in custody pending additional charges. The deaths of the two babies were ruled homicides because of “complication of extreme prematurity,” according to the medical examiner’s investigation. The boy is not named because he is in juvenile court.