Dad charged with aggravated manslaughter in death of 10-week-old girl (Edison, New Jersey)

Dad NILESH PATEL has been charged with aggravated manslaughter in the physical abuse death of his 10-week-old daughter.

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20090819/NEWS/90819052/-1/newsfront/Dad+charged+with+aggravated+manslaughter+in+death+of+10-week-old+Edison+girl

Dad charged with aggravated manslaughter in death of 10-week-old Edison girl
By KEN SERRANO • STAFF WRITER • August 19, 2009

MIDDLESEX COUNTY — A 10-week-old Edison girl has died of apparent physical abuse, and her father has been charged with aggravated manslaughter in the case.

Assistant Middlesex County Prosecutor Christie Bevacqua said police received a call shortly after 7 p.m. Tuesday from staff at JFK Medical Center that an infant was brought to their emergency room, the victim of possible abuse. When officers arrived, they learned from hospital staff the baby was close to death.

The girl's parent's brought the child to the hospital, Bevacqua said.

The father, Nilesh Patel, 39, went to Edison police headquarters to answer questions about the child's condition and, within hours, was charged with aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child. His bail was set at $500,000 and he was taken to Middlesex County jail.
The girl, Niral Patel, died Wednesday. She was pronounced dead at the hospital at 2:24 p.m. by Dr. Krisoff Ohngemach, Bevacqua said.

Patel's charges were since upgraded to include aggravated manslaughter. If convicted, he faces 10 to 30 years in prison on that charge alone.

His bail has been raised to $1 million by Judge Barbara Stolte, in Superior Court, New Brunswick.

Bevacqua said the results of an autopsy, scheduled for Thursday, will help the office determine how the girl died.

Whether the couple had any other children is under investigation, she said. The state Division of Youth and Family Services will conduct an independent investigation, she said.

Bevacqua is urging anyone with information concerning this investigation to call either investigator Raj Chopra of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office at (732) 745-3600 or detectives Brian Parente or Frank Varga of the Edison Police Department at (732) 248-7400.