Face of evil: Horrifying way babysitter's son, 29, killed innocent toddler

A New York man charged with brutally murdering a three-year-old boy appeared in court today in connection with the killing.

Kevin James, 29, is accused of beating and drowning little Denim Brown, who was found unresponsive in a bathtub earlier this year.

James' stepfather was looking after the boy on March 17 when he suddenly vanished, sparking a frantic search.

His limp body was eventually located in an unoccupied apartment next door by the suspect's brothers, the New York Post reports. 

The tot was raced to Kings County Hospital with head and neck trauma, but was later pronounced dead just before 9.45pm.

Kevin James, 29, is accused of beating and drowning Denim Brown, who was found unresponsive in a bathtub earlier this year

Police said James was incoherent under questioning, but had no history of mental illness.

His own mother told the Post that 'the devil' had got into her son and that his life had been on a downward spiral since he began smoking the synthetic drug K-2. 

Brown's cause of death was listed as drowning, with 'multiple blunt force trauma injuries to the face and body' listed as a contributing factor.

James was arraigned back in March and has been held at Robert N. Davoren Center jail without bail ever since.

He was charged with second-degree murder, second-degree assault and endangering the welfare of a child.

On Tuesday, he was led in handcuffs into the court where a judge ruled that the grand jury charges were sufficient. The case was adjourned until November.

Brown, three, was discovered unresponsive in the bathtub of an unoccupied Brooklyn apartment on March 17

James has been charged with his murder and appeared in court in New York on Tuesday

Brown was left with James' stepfather by his mom Shamanda Brown, who frequently entrusted him with her 66-year-old neighbor.

Authorities said James abducted the youngster while his stepdad Michael was in the bathroom. 

He is said to have killed Brown and returned to his own apartment before anyone noticed he was missing.

He then grabbed the boy's iPad and returned to the crime scene, police told Pix11. 

Michael's partner described the grisly scene her other two sons encountered after they managed to locate Brown. 

'He saw water at the elevator coming from the apartment,' she told the New York Post.

Prosecutors say he beat and drowned the young boy, who was being looked after by his stepfather at the time

James was arraigned back in March and has been held at Robert N. Davoren Center jail without bail ever since

'Something just told him to go look in 4G. He turned the knob and it opened. He went in to look around and he saw the baby in the tub.

'He pulled the baby out. He knocked on 4H, telling his younger brother to open the door,' she said.

 'He rushed in with the baby and started giving him mouth-to-mouth. Michael pushed him away and started doing chest compressions. He thought he could do it better.'

The murder and subsequent arrest shocked the tight-knit community within the apartment building.