Parents Tamir Little, 31, and Samirah Lightford, 23, of Irvington, N.J. were indicted and arrested Tuesday on charges of murder and endangering the welfare of their 3-year-old daughter Neveah Turner.
Assistant Prosecutor Peter Guarino says the biological mother Lightford was unable to care for Turner, consequently sending her to foster care. When the child was made available for adoption in July 2009, her father Little sought custody.
In November, Turner was taken to Beth Israel hospital in Newark and declared brain dead 2 days later.
An autopsy revealed the little girl died from blunt force trauma.
Abuse allegedly began when the child was in her father’s custody in July. Turner allegedly had belt marks and cord marks and sustained blunt force type injuries from what is commonly known as shaken baby syndrome.
Both parents were taken into custody on bail for $300,000.
