6-year-old boy allegedly beaten to death; coach who was babysitting charged

DOWNEY, Calif. (KTLA) -- Family members gathered in Inglewood Saturday to lay to rest a 6-year-old South Los Angeles boy who was allegedly beaten to death by a man described as an elementary school coach last month.

Dayvon "DayDay" Taylor was in the care of 23-year-old Tyler D'Shaun Martin-Brand when he suffered injuries that ultimately led to his death later in the day at a hospital, according to Downey Police Department officials and prosecutors.

"(Taylor) died on Dec. 26 after allegedly being severely beaten by Brand at his Downey apartment," the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said in a written statement.

The child had been in Martin-Brand's care for several days over the holiday break, prosecutors said. Family members described him as Taylor's coach at Normandie Avenue Elementary School in South Los Angeles, where Taylor was a 1st-grade student. Downey police described the suspect as an "acquaintance" of the child's mother. Prosecutors described him as the boy's godfather.

Martin-Brand faces charges of murder and assault on a child causing death. Bail was set at $2 million.