Dad arrested in death of 2-year-old daughter (Bexley, Ohio)

Dad DWANN ALLEN has been arrested in the death of his 2-year-old daughter. He says she "fell"; doctors say no way with all the bruising and injuries to her head, chest, and abdomen.

http://www2.nbc4i.com/cmh/news/crime/article/Police_say_Two-Year-Olds_Death_Suspicious/19742/

Bexley Father Arrested In 2-Year-Old Daughter’s Death

By Donna Willis
Web Content Coordinator
Published: July 23, 2009

BEXLEY, Ohio—A father was arrested Thursday after his a 2-year-old daughter died in a local hospital Wednesday night.

Bexley police received a 911 call from 18-year-old Dwann Allen at about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Allen indicated the toddler had suffered serious injuries from a fall at an apartment at 909 Mayfield Place, authorities said.

The toddler was unresponsive when authorities arrived on the scene.

She was transported to Nationwide Children’s Hospital where she died a few hours later.

The child had bruising: some bruising that appeared to be old and some bruising that looked to be new, Bexley Sgt. Tony Martin said.

Police weren’t saying where the bruising occurred but said the injuries are inconsistent with a fall.

They also said the girl suffered from asthma.

“Once she got to the hospital, there was some bruising and maybe some old injuries that didn’t match completely with what we were being told—how she was injured. That’s what led to this investigation,” Martin said.

Authorities interviewed both parents Thursday morning in an effort to determine exactly what happened.

Bexley police arrested Allen Thursday afternoon on felony child endangering charges.

Thursday’s autopsy revealed the victim died of injuries to her head, chest and abdomen, according to Franklin County Coroner Jan Gorniak.

The manner of death (homicide, accidental, etc.) will not be available until the completion of the police investigation.

Allen was to have an arraignment hearing Friday.

Martin said Allen didn’t have an adult record but told detectives the ankle monitor he was wearing was out of a robbery charge.

Authorities were not identifying the toddler or her mother currently.