A father is suing New York City after authorities say his 4-year-old son died due to child abuse.

Jamal Eubanks, father of Jace Eubanks, says the city knew his son was in danger and did nothing to protect him.  

Jace Eubanks was killed in September 2021 while living with his mother and her boyfriend at the Gowanus Houses. The boyfriend, Jeremiah Johnson, was charged with murder. He is accused of slamming the child to the floor.  

"Not only am I dealing with the loss of my youngest son, I'm now dealing with like a struggle to like get back my oldest son,” said Jamal. “ACS has just overall not been very helpful in the slightest." 

Jamal Eubanks has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit, accusing the New York City Administration of Children’s Services of allowing Jace and his brother, Je, to remain in the custody of his mother and her then-boyfriend despite evidence of abuse.  

“Mr. Johnson was someone that they knew was a violent child predator,” said Jamal Eubanks. “Someone they knew had been accused of child abuse.” 

According to the lawsuit, a local day care alerted ACS of abuse in late August of 2021, 2 1/2 weeks before his death. Representatives from ACS visited the home and determined it was safe. 

The lawsuit states that “with deliberate indifference these agencies failed to remove the children from danger and allowed Jace to be violently and viciously tortured resulting in his death." 

Jamal Eubanks, who regularly visited his kids at the time, says he feels that he was left in the dark while his child suffered.  

"ACS needs to be held accountable for its failures," said Jamal Eubanks.  

His attorneys are calling for a federal monitor to investigate ACS, alleging that at least three other kids were killed during that same timeframe due to negligence.