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I want to know why he was allowed back in that home. How did a 6-year-old boy die from lack of oxygen inside his own
home while he was alone with the man who admitted to beating him with a belt? And
how did this happen less than a year after the system had already substantiated abuse?
There's been a resounding word throughout this entire episode. Undetermined. Mhm.
Undetermined cause, undetermined manner, undetermined answers. There is one thing that was never
undetermined. Jojo mattered. He mattered to his dad, his real life superhero who he wanted to
be like when he grew up. >> [music] >> And he mattered to the little girl who got to live more life and spend precious
final moments with her family because of his organ donation. And he mattered [music] to the people
who saw him every day at school, to the janitor who came to visit him while he was in the hospital because he said that
Jojo never just walked by him like the other kids. He always stopped and gave him a hug.
He made him feel special. And that's who Jojo was. For dad, Joseph, this was never just
about a probation violation. It was about protection. Now, instead of letting his grief swallow him into
silence, it propels him forward. He tells Jojo's story publicly any chance he can get, not because it's easy, but
because it's necessary. He speaks to other law enforcement officers about what went wrong, about what might have
been done differently, how to keep this from happening to another child, another
family. He fights for accountability because he knows what it feels like to beg for help
>> [music] >> and to not be heard. I got on FaceTime with my family and let all my family say goodbye to him
in the hospital room. And then when I hung up, I walked over to him and I leaned over and I whispered
in his ear. I said, "Don't worry. Daddy got you. He going to find out what happened."

Joseph “Jo-Jo” King III’s death was ruled undetermined. But to those who knew him, there was nothing uncertain about his life.

He was loved. He was kind. And he mattered.

Now, his father continues to fight for answers—sharing Jo-Jo’s story, pushing for accountability, and working to prevent this from happening to another child and family.

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Brief Summary

Joseph fights for accountability after his son Jojo's tragic death due to systemic failures in child protection.

Key points

The Tragic Case of Jojo. A heartbreaking story of a young boy's life and the failures of the system.
A Father's Fight for Justice. Joseph, Jojo's dad, speaks out to prevent future tragedies.

Episode highlights

A Father's Fight for JusticeJoseph, Jojo's dad, speaks out to prevent future tragedies.“He fights for accountability because he knows what it feels like to beg for help.”1:41Apr 7, 2026

Episode quotes

Jojo mattered. He mattered to his dad.

A father's love and loss.

0:34WatchApr 7, 2026

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