Woman Pleads Not Guilty To Beating, Torturing 4-Year-Old Daughter To Death
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A South Los Angeles woman pleaded not guilty Wednesday to murder and other counts stemming from her 4-year-old daughter's death last month.
Akira Smith, 34, is accused of fatally beating her daughter at their home on Aug. 11. She is charged with one count each of murder, torture and assault on a child causing death.
The girl, named Eternity, was pronounced dead at 7:41 a.m. after she was taken to the hospital by ambulance.
Smith was arrested at 2:30 a.m. the following day by the LAPD's Juvenile Division and has remained behind bars since then, jail records show.
According to the criminal complaint, Smith was convicted in 2016 of assault with a deadly weapon and in 2014 of injuring a spouse, cohabitant, fiance or boyfriend.
The girl's three siblings were taken into protective custody and have been released to the Department of Children and Family Services.
If convicted as charged, Smith faces a possible maximum sentence of 62 years to life in state prison. She is due back in court on Oct. 8, when a preliminary hearing date will be set.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)