Woman beat toddler goddaughter to death as child's mother gave birth
RICHMOND, Va. -- A Virginia woman has been found guilty after pleading no contest in the beating death of her 3-year-old goddaughter.
Local media outlets report that 25-year-old Danielle Turner of Richmond pleaded no contest on Tuesday to second-degree murder in the death of Latrice Walden.
Turner was initially charged with felony child neglect, but those charges were later upgraded to first-degree murder.
An autopsy revealed the child died in February 2016 from blunt-force trauma to the head. Prosecutors say she had more than 100 bruises and cuts.
Turner, who was watching the girl while her mother, Nikki Brown, was at the hospital giving birth, initially said the victim had slipped in the tub and hit her head. Police said Turner didn’t call 911 about the girl’s condition until six hours later. She later admitted to hitting the girl on the head multiple times over the course of a weekend, CBS affiliate WTVR reports.
The toddler had more than 60 bruises on her arms, legs and torso, according to the station.
Turner and Brown had known one another for over a decade.
Turner’s sentencing has been set for June 23. She faces five to 40 years in prison.
