MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF: Joseph “Jo-Jo” King III
On Feb. 23, 2020, 6-year-old Joseph “Jo-Jo” King III was found unresponsive at home with his stepfather. The initial explanation was simple: he had accidentally suffocated inside a toy chest.
But the toy chest was not airtight. Parts of the scene were wet. And the autopsy was later amended to include “concern for possible homicidal drowning.” Still, the manner of death remains undetermined.
Jo-Jo’s stepfather is in prison for abusing him less than a year before his death, but no one has been charged in connection with how he died.
So what really happened inside that house?
Joseph “Jo-Jo” King III
Courtesy: Joseph King Jr.
Joseph “Jo-Jo” King III and his father, Joseph King Jr.
Courtesy: Joseph King Jr.
Jo-Jo’s step-father, Brandon Hale
Courtesy: Texas Department of Public Safety
Joseph in his police uniform
Courtesy: Joseph King Jr.
Jo-Jo in a karate class
Courtesy: Joseph King Jr.
Jo-Jo in his football uniform
Courtesy: Joseph King Jr.
Jo-Jo on the field
Courtesy: Joseph King Jr.
The chest Brandon says he found Jo-Jo in
Courtesy: Grand Prairie Police Department
Jo-Jo and his father, Joseph
Courtesy: Joseph King Jr.
Brandon Hale in 2024
Courtesy: Texas Department of Public Safety
Joseph “Jo-Jo” King III
Courtesy: Joseph King Jr.
Joseph “Jo-Jo” King III
Courtesy: Joseph King Jr.
Jo-Jo’s gravesite
Courtesy: Joseph King Jr.
Timeline:
Jo-Jo arrives at school with loop-shaped bruises and says his stepfather beat him with a belt. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services later rules “reason to believe” abuse occurred.
2:30 p.m.
Jo-Jo’s mother leaves him home with his stepfather, Brandon Hale, who later tells investigators he took a nap.
4:58 p.m.
Brandon calls 911 after finding Jo-Jo unresponsive.
5:11 p.m.
EMS arrives, finds Jo-Jo without a pulse and transports him to the hospital.
Jo-Jo’s father, Joseph King Jr., arrives at the hospital and learns Jo-Jo is on life support due to oxygen deprivation.
Jo-Jo is pronounced dead after several days on life support.
An initial autopsy lists the cause of death as oxygen deprivation linked to toy chest entrapment, with the manner of death undetermined.
Investigators test the toy chest and determine it is not airtight.
The autopsy is later amended to undetermined, noting concern for possible homicidal drowning.
Brandon Hale appears in court for a probation violation tied to the 2019 abuse case.
A judge revokes Brandon’s probation and sentences him to 10 years in prison for the prior abuse conviction.
Grand Prairie, Texas
The city where Jo-Jo lived and where he was found unresponsive in his home.
Children’s Medical Center Dallas
The Hospital where Jo-Jo was treated for oxygen deprivation and later pronounced dead.
Tarrant County, Texas
The county where Brandon Hale’s 2023 probation violation hearing took place.
Additional Info:
Tarrant County Texas District Attorney’s Office
If you have concerns about Jo-Jo’s case, you can contact the Tarrant County Texas District Attorney’s Office at 817-884-1400. Tell them you want them to take another look at this case. Tell them you want justice for Joseph “Jo-Jo” King III.
We’d love to speak with you and see how we can support.
If you’re a law enforcement agency or family member of one of the people we mentioned in this episode, or if you’re looking for more coverage on a case, please reach out. You can email us at:
Episode Source Material
- Original Reporting by Madison Cavalchire
- Grand Prairie Police Department. Incident/Investigation Report: Case No. 19-00005813. 2019. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
- Grand Prairie Police Department. Incident/Investigation Report: Case No. 20-00003611. 2020. Accessed 11 Feb. 2026.
- Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences. Original Autopsy Report on the death of Joseph King. 2020. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
- Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences. Corrected Autopsy Report on the death of Joseph King. 2020. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
- Tarrant County District Clerk’s Office. The State of Texas Vs. Brandon Hale: Case No. 1591855. 2023. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
- Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Child Fatality Report Release of Information to the Public for Joseph L. King. 2020. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
- Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. CPS Investigation Report: Case No. 47686394. 2019. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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