Jury Selection Begins For NJ Man Charged With Tossing 2-Year-Old Daughter Into Creek

FREEHOLD, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Jury selection has started at the trial of a New Jersey man accused of tossing his 2-year-old daughter to her death while she was still strapped into her car seat.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said jury selection began Tuesday in the case against Arthur Morgan III, who is charged with murder, child endangerment and interference with custody.

Prosecutors said the selection process is expected to take the rest of the week.

Authorities said Morgan failed to return his daughter, Tierra Morgan-Glover, to her mother in November 2011. The toddler's body was found submerged in a creek in Wall Township.

The cause of death was determined to be homicidal violence, including submersion in water. An autopsy determined that she was alive when she hit the water.

Morgan then fled to California, where he was later arrested by U.S. Marshals, authorities said. He waived extradition back to New Jersey and has been in jail since his arrest.

The New Jersey Department of Children and Families had been involved with the family on and off for more than a year prior to Tierra's death.

The girl's mother, Imani Benton, said a case worker told the courts there was no reason to deny Morgan unsupervised visitation.

Morgan faces a maximum sentence of life without parole, plus 15 years to be served consecutively, if convicted.

Check Out These Other Stories From CBSNewYork.com:

(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)