Police ID man accused of killing 5-year-old Brayden Turnbill
Sun Prairie police have identified the man accused of killing Brayden Turnbill as 23-year-old Dakota Black.
Brayden, 5, died Thursday of injuries allegedly sustained from child abuse at a home in Sun Prairie.
Black is the boyfriend of Brayden’s mother, police said. He has been held in the Dane County Jail on an unrelated probation and parole warrant since Tuesday.
The Dane County Medical examiner said Brayden died Thursday at the University of Wisconsin hospital. The medical examiner deemed the manner of death homicide, but provided no further details.
Assistant Police Chief Scott Faust said Black is the only suspect in the case at this point.
“We’ve named a suspect. We think it’s important for the community to know that they’re not in danger and that we have somebody that we feel is involved,” Faust said. “And we’re going to move forward trying to come up with enough information and enough conclusions to recommend charges for the district attorney’s office.”
Faust would not say what charges are being considered. However, he stressed the department appreciates the community’s patience over the last few days of investigation.
“We at the police department here in Sun Prairie feel terrible, and our hearts go out to everyone involved and to the community as they wrestle with the fact that there has been this terrible tragedy,” Faust said. “We’re going to do our very best to try to achieve a situation where we can ask the district attorney’s office for charges in this case.”
Community members have set up a benefit fund to help with funeral expenses and possibly hold a memorial for Brayden. Any money left over will be donated to child abuse prevention organizations.
Donations can be dropped off at any of the four Bank of Sun Prairie locations or mailed to Stop Child Abuse, 1223 W. Main St. Box 1000, Sun Prairie, WI 53590. Checks can be made out to the Brayden Turnbill Fund.
