Mount Vernon Mother Arraigned On Manslaughter Charge In Daughter's Death
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A Mount Vernon mother facing a felony manslaughter charge in the death of her 15-month-old daughter admitted hitting her several times to stop her from crying.
De'asia Bartee, 26, was arraigned Monday in connection with the death of her daughter, Samia Yusef. She came into the courtroom greeted by family and friends cheering her on, CBS2's Magdalena Doris reported.
She was charged with manslaughter in the first-degree and held on 50,000 cash or bond.
Mount Vernon police were called to the family apartment at 210 Washington Street at 5:30 a.m. Friday after Samia's aunt made the call to 911 that the girl was not breathing.
"Police responded and found the child, took vital signs that did reveal that the child was lifeless," Acting Mount Vernon Police Commissioner Ronald Fatigate said last week.
But police said Samia may have been dead for hours before they were called. They said when officers picked the child up in an effort to resuscitate her, she was ice cold, leading investigators to believe her little body may have been placed in the freezer.
Police said the toddler had "significant trauma to the face and suffered internal bleeding."
The prosecution said Bartee admitted to police that she hit her crying child six to seven times in the back before bouncing her on her knee, exacerbating the injury, Doris reported.
"Any time there is an infant death, we always treat it as if its a homicide," Fatigate said.
Samia's two sisters, ages 9 and 6, were in the home at the time. They were not hurt and are now under watch of Child Protective Services and police confirm there has been a history of CPS investigations at the home involving Bartee and her daughters.
As Bartee left the court room Monday, her family shouted "I love you" and "We're here for you." They also shouted at the media "She's innocent until proven guilty."
Her next court date is August 17.