Family defends man suspected of killing 5-year-old

The family of the man accused of killing a 5-year-old in Sun Prairie last month says he couldn’t have committed the crime.

A statement from the family said that Dakota Black remains in jail on a probation hold, but they do not believe he killed 5-year-old Brayden Turnbill.

Black, 24, is the boyfriend of Turnbill’s mother and had been living with her, the 5-year-old and his 1-year-old child in the Sun Prairie home of a friend. Sun Prairie police named him as the suspect in the death, which they say is the result of child abuse.

The statement said that any abuse would be “completely uncharacteristic” of him, and “while he is not perfect, he is not violent.” According to his family, Black had cared for his own children and those of family members without incident. The statement said he had been an occasional drug user, but was not an addict and had no history of violence.

The family said that Green County Child Protective Services did visit the home and found no problems with Brayden Turnbill’s health or care.