Mom's ex ‘beats 8-yr-old boy to death with hammer as he tries to stop him from raping his younger sister’ (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

An eight-year-old boy was beaten to death by his mother's ex-boyfriend while he was trying to protect his younger sister from molestation.

Dante Daniels was attacked by Deandre Chaney Jr., 23, with a hammer on September 1st in South Sacremento, California. He never made it to his second day of third grade.

According to a criminal report, Chaney Jr. was engaged in the crime of committing a lewd act on Danae, Dante's seven-year-old sister.

'Trying to save his sister from this child molester, and that's why he was beat the worst,' said Dante's grandmother, Monique Brown, to KFVS 12.

The suspect also used a hammer and knife on Danae, as well as their mother, 28-year-old Elizabeth Salone.

He is also said to have used lighter fluid. 

Dante was declared brain dead following the attack and died six days later.

Both his sister and mother survived, but Brown has said that Monique won't be able to see out her left eye and Danae will need a lot of help.

And the grandmother believes her little one is a hero, even after death. 

'Dante gave his heart to a 4-year-old In Southern California, so a 4-year-old lives because of [him],' Brown added.

Along with murder and attempted murder charges, Chaney Jr. also faces a charge for lewd acts with a child under 14. 

A Gofundme has been set up to raise money for the family. 

DailyMail