Crime

Suspect in Brooklyn girl's beating death had prior arrests

/ AP

NEW YORK - Police say a man charged with fatally beating his stepdaughter for allegedly soiling her pants had 15 prior arrests.

Kelsey Smith was charged with assault and acting in a manner injurious to a child less than 17-years-old.

He was arrested Saturday after New York City police responded to a Brooklyn homeless shelter apartment where the child, Jeida Torres, was found unconscious and unresponsive.

Police say Smith was watching the girl and her 5-year-old brother while their mother was at work. They say the boy had bruises to his body and was hospitalized in stable condition.

Police found Smith at a relative's Queens apartment, where he allegedly tried to slit his wrists. He remained hospitalized Monday in stable condition. It wasn't clear if he had a lawyer.

Police say his prior arrests included one for assault.

First published on October 20, 2014 / 11:29 AM EDT

AP

f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.