A 19-year-old Coney Island father was indicted Monday for the murder of his 16-month-old daughter and assault of her mother last month, the Brooklyn DA said.
Shaquan Taylor allegedly beat his toddler, Nylah Lewis, who sustained a skull fracture, swelling of the brain and bruising to the face and body, the DA’s office said. She later died of her injuries.
On June 18, Nylah’s mother, 17-year-old Tammy Lewis, arrived at Taylor’s West 32nd Street home to pick up her child and found Nylah unconscious. She told Taylor to call 911, but he refused, prosecutors said. When she tried to take Nylah, Taylor hit her, handed Nylah to a bystander and continued to assault Lewis, prosecutors said.
Nylah was taken to a hospital and remained on life support until June 23 when she succumbed to her injuries, prosecutors said.
“This father was supposed to protect his innocent baby daughter, but instead he allegedly violently and senselessly took her life and then assaulted her mother when she tried to come to her rescue,” Acting District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said.
Taylor told detectives that Nylah had fallen, but her injuries were not consistent with a fall, prosecutors said.
Taylor was charged with murder and assault, the DA’s office said. He was being held without bail and is expected to return to court on July 27. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
