MOTT HAVEN, the Bronx — The death of a 7-year-old girl found dead in her Bronx apartment on Tuesday has been deemed a homicide, according to the NYPD.
Officers responded around 8 a.m. to the apartment on Alexander Avenue, near East 135th Street in the Mott Haven section after one of her parents called 911.
Cops arrived to find EMS providing emergency care to the unconscious girl, before rushing her to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead, authorities said.
A GoFundMe fundraiser started by the child’s grandmother, Yolanda Davis, identifies the girl as Julissia Batties.
Police sources said the girl was found with blunt force trauma to the stomach, as well as injuries to her face and arms.
The medical examiner told the family they found evidence of injuries to the girl’s stomach, both old and new, according to her grandmother.
The girl’s 17-year-old brother allegedly admitted to police he had punched his sister eight times in the face, hours before 911 was called, the New York Post reported. Police could not confirm this information Friday.
“Our top priority is protecting the safety and wellbeing of all children in New York City. We are investigating this case with the NYPD,” the Administration for Children’s Services said in a statement.
Davis, who is the mother of the girl’s father, told PIX11’s Mary Murphy she had been raising the little girl in Brooklyn until last year and would let her birth mother come to visit.
There was trouble between the girl’s parents even before she was born, according to the grandmother.
“The mother made a report against my son and had my son arrested multiple times,” Davis said. “I was at the courts all the time,” she added.
Davis claims the girl’s mother had a history of mental health issues. Officials have not confirmed this.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
