Benjamin Branch was just 16 months old when he died on Nov. 6, 2024. Two and half months later, Benjamin's parents, Helena Branch, 37, and Jamar Branch, 39, were arrested for his murder, accused of severely neglecting the child "over a lengthy period of time."
NBC 7 looked into the legal histories of both Helena and Jamar Branch and found San Diego Superior Court documents from Feb. 17, 2016, filed by Helena Branch — then Helena St. Laurent-Barr — for a restraining order against Jamar Branch and custody of their then-five children.
Stream San Diego News for free, 24/7, wherever you are with NBC 7.
WATCH HEREIn it, she claimed that during their decade-long relationship, he physically abused her at least three times from 2008 to 2016, including once in front of their children when she said he “grabbed me and pushed me down to the ground.”
Get top local San Diego stories delivered to you every morning with our News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP In another instance, she said, “he got angry about something and jumped over the couch and punched me repeatedly in the face until my friends pulled him off of me.”
The documents referred to Jamar Branch as being “violent” and “unpredictable.” She said she wanted the restraining order to protect her and their children from witnessing “further domestic abuse.”
The restraining order was granted temporarily by a San Diego Superior Court judge until a hearing that was set for May 2016. However, neither party showed, and the case was dismissed “due to inactivity,” according to the court file.
Local
Karen Cole, Benjamin's grandmother and Jamar Branch’s mother, spoke with NBC 7 on Wednesday night. She said Jamar Branch “loves all his kids and never harmed any of them” and that she's still trying to process seeing the pair get arrested Wednesday.
She said does not believe either of them are guilty.
"If they did anything to their child, why would they call 911 immediately when they found out, if they was trying to hide anything or if they were doing something wrong to the child," Cole said. "Why would they call for help?"
She told NBC 7 that Benjamin was born prematurely and struggled with his health since birth, unlike his sibling.
“His twin got most of the nutrients of the time she was carrying both kids,” Cole said. “The baby was sick, and they took him to the doctor multiple times.”
Police determined that the toddler appeared malnourished and, suspecting criminal neglect, brought in detectives from the San Diego Police Department's Child Abuse Unit, along with help from the Medical Examiner and Rady Children’s Hospital. Investigators confirmed Benjamin had been severely neglected for quite some time, according to SDPD, and police said they ultimately determined his parents were responsible for his death.
Helena and Jamar Branch are being held without bail and are expected to be arraigned on Friday.
Anybody with information about the case is being urged to call San Diego police at 619-531-2293. Tips can also be called in anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.
