Friday, November 12, 2010

Dad pleads guilty to killing 10-week-old infant daughter (Norristown, Pennsylvania)

Dad KHALIL ANTONIO BROWN has pleaded guilty to 3rd-degree murder charges in the death of his 10-week-old infant daughter. The baby died from traumatic brain injuries. Daddy was alone with the child at the time she was injured. No mention of the baby' s mother.

INVISIBLE MOTHER ALERT.

http://pottsmerc.com/articles/2010/11/12/news/srv0000009925401.txt?viewmode=fullstory

Man pleads guilty to killing infant daughter
Published: Friday, November 12, 2010
By Carl Hessler Jr., chessler@pottsmerc.com

NORRISTOWN — A 21-year-old man has admitted that he caused the death of his 10-week-old daughter by recklessly shaking her, causing her to suffer traumatic brain injuries.

Khalil Antonio Brown, of Philadelphia, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court on Wednesday to a felony charge of third-degree murder in connection with the Jan. 28 death of his daughter, Aniyah, inside a relative's Plymouth Township residence.

Brown, who was 20 at the time of the incident, showed no emotion during the hearing at which he made his admission.

"We've never been able to determine a motive. There was no indication the baby was crying. This appears to be a senseless killing on his part," alleged Assistant District Attorney Christopher Parisi.

Judge Joseph A. Smyth deferred sentencing so that court officials can complete a background investigative report about Brown. The judge also ordered Brown to undergo a psychiatric evaluation prior to sentencing.

"It's a tragedy. He accepted full responsibility from the beginning and he's extremely remorseful," defense lawyer Louise Petrillo said on Brown's behalf.

"He's focused on his rehabilitation and healing for everyone," added Petrillo, who was assisted by defense lawyer Kate Taxis.

Brown, who remains in the county jail without bail pending sentencing, faces a possible maximum sentence of 20-to-40-years in prison on the charge.

"What makes this murder so horrific was the age of the victim and the fact it was the victim's father who committed the murder. These facts warrant a lengthy state prison sentence and that's what we will be asking for," said Parisi, who was assisted by prosecutor Jordan Friter.

By pleading guilty to the murder-related charge, Brown admitted that while he was alone in the home with the child he shook her to the point that he caused severe injuries that later caused her death and that he acted recklessly and ignored the risk that his conduct could cause death or serious bodily injury.

Aniyah Brown died several days after the Jan. 28 incident at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, where she had been on life support.

After receiving a call about an unconscious baby, Plymouth Township police went to the Chestnut Street residence around 9:41 a.m., and reportedly found the infant, who wasn't breathing, bleeding from the nose in a second-floor bedroom, according to a criminal complaint.

Brown, who identified himself as the girl's father, told officers he had gone upstairs to check on the child that morning and noticed she wasn't breathing and then called 911.

The baby was taken to Montgomery Hospital in Norristown and later transported to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for advanced medical care.