NYC stepdad from hell forced kid to eat own vomit, beat him within inches of his life as punishment for eating brownies: prosecutors

A Queens stepdad from hell beat his 8-year-old stepson within inches of his life and forced him to lick up his own vomit – all because the kid may have secretly eaten his brownies, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Davien Reid Sr., 43, faces an attempted murder charge in the brutal April 2024 attack that left the boy with neck and back fractures and multiple internal injuries inside the family’s home on 88th Avenue in Richmond Hill, the Queens district attorney’s office said. 

Reid accused the boy of eating his brownies before senselessly hitting the child, picking him up, throwing him to the ground and then repeatedly stomping on him, prosecutors said.

Queens DA Melinda Katz said the arrested couple “inflicted unspeakable cruelty” on the 8-year-old boy. Brigitte Stelzer

The cruel stepdad then demanded that the battered boy lick his own vomit off the floor, prosecutors said. 

The boy’s mother, Dayanara Vargas, 31, called 911 and claimed her son was hurt while fighting with his stepbrother, according to the DA’s office.

When cops arrived, the boy was sitting on the bathroom floor with his head severely bruised and deformed, one eye swollen shut and bruises covering his back and arms, prosecutors said.

He was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries to his stomach and serious injuries to his head and spine, the DA’s office said. 

The boy spent three weeks in the hospital, where he was fed through feeding tubes for part of the time. 

His neck injuries were so severe that he had to wear a cervical collar for about five months, prosecutors said.

The boy endured another brutal act of abuse less than a year earlier when his mother – also now in custody – bashed him over the head with a broom, according to prosecutors. 

Davien Reid Sr., 43, was charged with attempted murder in the brutal April 24, 2024 attack on his 8-year-old stepson, prosecutors said. Getty Images/iStockphoto

Vargas is accused of striking her son so hard that the gash required several medical staples to close, the DA’s office said. 

She then took her son to an urgent care facility, where she lied about what happened to him, prosecutors said.

Reid and Vargas have been together for several years, with two children in common. 

Vargas entered the relationship with two children – including the young victim – and Reid previously had three children. 

“As alleged, these defendants inflicted unspeakable cruelty,” Queens DA Melinda Katz said in a statement. “An 8-year-old child was beaten repeatedly resulting in fractures, internal injuries and vomiting. Afterward, the child was forced to lick the vomit off the floor. It was brutal. Thankfully, the victim and his siblings are all now safe and we will get justice for this child.”

Reid was indicted by a grand jury Friday and also faces charges of assault in the first and second degrees, intimidating a witness in the third degree, obstructing governmental administration in the second degree and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

He was ordered held without bail and could face up to 25 years behind bars if convicted. 

Vargas was charged with second-degree assault, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and obstructing governmental administration. 

She was ordered held on $250,000 bail or $500,000 bond and could spend seven years in prison if convicted. 

Supreme Court Justice Gia Morris ordered both to return to court April 11.