TACOMA, Washington — Prosecutors said Friday that a man accused of beating two young Fircrest boys could flee the country if he’s let out of jail.
That came as a judge ordered the man, Stephan Perebeynos, held, even though no charges have been filed against him. Prosecutors continued to review evidence Friday to decide what charges they’ll file.
“I want to see him killed,” said Tyrone Hampton, the boys’ father, of Perebeynos. “I mean, I want to see the death penalty. That’s murder, beating up on infant babies.”
Pierce County investigators said Perebeynos was taking care of his girlfriend’s two boys, ages 2 and 18 months. On Thursday, Macaih Hampton, the 18-month-old, was taken to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital with life-threatening bruises and head injuries. A source close to the investigation Friday told KIRO 7 the boy was showing signs of improvement.
Perebeynos told investigators the 2-year-old, Tyrone Hampton Jr., may have been abducted. It turned out he was in the care of family friends who left him at Mary Bridge after hearing on KIRO 7 Eyewitness News that deputies were looking for him.
Hampton Jr. was found wandering the hospital, where personnel found him with bruises and bumps on his head.
The boys’ mother, Heather Berven, was rushed to Mary Bridge from a medical facility after receiving word of what had happened to her sons.
“It is the worst feeling in the world,” she said. “I feel like a failure and I just wish my babies didn’t have to go through this. I wish I could take their pain.”
For now, Perebeynos is on a 72-hour hold.
Prosecutors said when they file charges Monday, they’ll ask for $5 million bail. They said Perebeynos, a Russian national, could flee the country to his homeland.
The elder Tyrone Hampton said he’s afraid Perebeynos could pay even the high bail and escape.
“People that hurt people, beat up babies – he can post that bail, I told them that,” Hampton said.
Because Perebeynos is a Russian citizen, the Russian consulate will be notified of his arrest. Prosecutors said if he flees to Russia, that country may refuse to extradite him.
He is expected to face charges in court Monday.
KIRO
