On February 23, 2020, 6-year-old Joseph “Jo-Jo” King III was found unresponsive inside his home in Grand Prairie, Texas. According to his stepfather, Brandon Hale, Jo-Jo had become trapped inside a toy chest and couldn’t breathe. But when investigators began testing that explanation… it didn’t hold up. Jo-Jo was rushed to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, where doctors determined he had suffered a severe brain injury caused by lack of oxygen. Days later, he died. From the beginning, Jo-Jo’s father, Joseph King Jr., a homicide detective in Atlanta, Georgia, believed something wasn’t right. And the deeper investigators looked, the more questions emerged. The toy chest was not airtight. A mannequin Jojo’s size could barely fit inside it. There were unexplained signs of moisture throughout the home. CPR may not have been performed despite instructions from 911. Even more troubling, less than a year earlier, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) had already determined there was “Reason to Believe” Jo-Jo had been physically abused in that same home. Yet he remained there. Jo-Jo’s death was ultimately ruled undetermined. But years later, in December 2023, Brandon Hale’s probation from the prior abuse case was revoked, and he was sentenced to 10 years in prison, not for Jo-Jo’s death, but for the earlier incident. No one has been charged in connection with what happened to Jo-Jo on that day in 2020. In this episode, Ashley Flowers and Brit Prawat examine the evidence, the inconsistencies, and the system failures that may have allowed this tragedy to happen, and ask the question that still remains: What really caused Joseph “Jo-Jo” King III’s death? Key Episode Moments: 0:00 Intro 1:37 The Midnight Call: Feb 23, 2020 2:47 The Stepfather’s Toy Chest Theory 4:14 Red Flags: Detective vs. Dad 5:26 2019 DFPS Abuse Investigation 9:38 Timeline Gaps & The CPR Call 11:05 Evidence: The Wet Bathroom Scene 16:05 Testing the Airtight Chest Theory 18:46 2023 Hearing & Probation Revoked 32:44 Justice for Joseph "Jojo" King III -------- Follow Crime Junkie: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crimejunkiepodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrimeJunkiePodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CrimeJunkiePod Crime Junkie is created and hosted by Ashley Flowers. About Ashley Flowers Ashley Flowers is the top female podcaster in the U.S. and the host of Crime Junkie, the #1 podcast among women and the #1 true crime podcast globally. As the Founder of audiochuck, she has built a top-tier podcast production company that has garnered over 2.6 billion downloads, captivating audiences with its gripping storytelling through 10+ chart topping podcasts. Ashley and her team are dedicated to creating responsible true crime content that respects victims and their families. Follow Ashley: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ASHLEYFLOWERS/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ash_flowers TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleyflowerscrimejunkie Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashleyflowers.af/ Check out these other great crime channels: @kallmekris The WORST Accidents In Caving History https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kacv7d0yBH8 @rottenmangopod Epstein Deposition: Everything Bill Clinton & Hillary Clinton Said in 8 Hours Deposition Tape https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8zu1TPn0iY @EleanorNeale Police Called Tamla's Death an 'Accident'... But Was It? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_unKiUmwPc @christinaarandall Was Wes Watson Set Up to Fail for MONEY? Or Did His Ego Get The Best of Him?! Body Cam Footage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJM1cqDJUVc