MOTHER, BOYFRIEND ARRESTED IN DEATH OF 15-MONTH-OLD BOY

Jacksonville, FL — The mother of a 15-month-old boy and her boyfriend are now locked up at Duval County Jail in connection to his death earlier this year.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office announced this morning the arrests of 29-year-olds Lori Hopper and Andre Keller on a manslaughter and murder charge, respectively, in the death of Isaiah Keller.

JSO Homicide Lt. Steve Golloher says the toddler died at Wolfson Children's Hospital last January 22nd, but it took some time for detectives to determine how the boy actually died.

"We've received the medical examiner's report indicating that they ruled it a homicide," Golloher added. "The death was caused by asphyxia."

Detectives originally did not suspect foul play in the boy's death because there were no obvious signs of it, even after investigating the hotel room at the Diamond Inn on Ramona Blvd. where he and his family were staying at the time of his death.

Golloher also told reporters Andre Keller is not the boy's biological dad, even though he is listed as the dad on his birth certificate.

According to JSO, Andre told police the boy wouldn't respond after they laid him down in bed with a bottle and that's when he and Hopper took him to the emergency room.

Three of Keller's biological children - ages 9, 8 and 4 - were also living in the hotel room with Keller, Hopper and Isaiah. They're now in DCF custody after JSO discovered drugs in the room.

Two of them told police they saw Keller tie Isaiah up when he started crying, a story that Hopper also corroborated later on.

Detectives say video evidence shows Hopper and Keller both waited for some time to get help after finding the boy unconscious.