THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) --- The Bronx mom accused of killing her 6-year-old daughter last year allegedly tied the girl up and hung her in a closet in the family's filthy NYCHA apartment, authorities said.
Lynija Eason Kumar, 26, allegeldy beat Jalayah Eason Kumar, with a hard object while the girl's hands and feet were bound as she hung in the closet in the 12-floor apartment at East 165th Street in the Forest Houses complex on May 26, 2023, according to the criminal complaint.
Investigators found the malnourished child with ligature marks on her wrists and new and old bruises covering her body at around 4 a.m., prosecutors said. The girl was rushed to the hospital but could not be saved.
The mother told detectives she found the child out of her bed on the floor near a closet, sources told PIX11 News at the time. The alleged abuse happened between March and May 2023, according to court documents.
In February, the medical examiner determined the incident a homicide and the cause of death was child abuse including restraint, positional asphyxia, blunt force injuries, and malnourishment, prosecutors said.
The apartment was filled with dirty clothes, garbage, and open food containers. Authorities found rotten food in the cabinets and refrigerator and the home crawled with insects. The apartment also reeked of feces and urine, officials said.
Jalayah’s two siblings, then 8 and 3, were in the apartment, and sources told PIX11 News they showed signs of abuse. The mom was charged with endangering the welfare of a child in connection to their injuries, according to court records. The siblings were placed in the custody of the Administration for Children’s Services at the time of the incident, sources said.
Sources told PIX11 News last week that ACS has taken action to protect the minors.
The mom was arrested last week and is facing murder and manslaughter charges. She pleaded not guilty and was held without bail during her arraignment, according to court records.
Her lawyer could not immediately be reached Monday.
Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the New York City area for more than a decade. She joined PIX11 News in 2022. See more of her work here.
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