A mother and her boyfriend from Ohio have been sentenced to life in prison for the death of her 4-year-old daughter on March 20.
Day and Lewis were arrested and charged with aggravated murder in the death of Aniya Day-Garrett, who died on March 11, 2018. On that day, authorities were called to Cultural Garden Apartments in Euclid, where they found Aniya unresponsive. She was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead.
According to testimony from a deputy medical examiner, Aniya was suffering from chronic physical abuse and neglect.
The jury found Day and Lewis guilty on charges of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, permitting child abuse, endangering children and tampering with evidence on March 7, after taking less than a day to deliberate.
During Day’s sentencing, Judge Timothy McCormick described Day’s actions as “callous.” He said, “In my 24 years, I don’t think I’ve seen such a callous disregard for human life that Sierra showed Aniya,” reported the news station.
‘[They] Ruined My Entire Life”
Aniya’s father, Mickhal Garrett, spoke before the sentencing. He said, “These two monsters ruined my entire life.”He also spoke about how Aniya was stolen from him and how he would never get the opportunity to watch his daughter grow up. Garrett was fighting for custody at the time of his daughter’s death.
“I truly hope this never happens to no other child,” Garrett said, reported ABC 5.
Garrett said he petitioned for custody of his little girl and had tried to warn authorities that she was being abused. Garrett’s family had made a number of complaints to the Cuyahoga Cuyahoga Children and Family Services to report bruises on the girl’s body, such as rug burns and black eyes.
The agency confirmed that it had received three calls about Aniya in 2017 and was investigating the claims. However, the agency concluded that there was not enough evidence to warrant removing the child from her mother’s home, reported the news website.
“I did everything in my power to let them know you know that I was a standup dad and that my daughter was being harmed and abused at home and this was an emergency,” Garrett said at the time.
Aniya’s paternal grandmother, Rachael Garrett, told reporters last year that, “this beautiful 4-year-old daughter’s life was cut down, senselessly.”
“Beaten, abused, battered, starved … you have to be heartless,” she added.
Police Report Details Chronic Abuse
Tamika Robinson, the administrative assistant of Aniya’s daycare facility, Harbor Crest, told police that she noticed what she believed were signs of abuse in May 2017, according to a police report (PDF).Robinson called 911 and the child was rushed to the hospital for treatment. It was there that she told a county Children and Family Services worker that “mommy hits her and hurts her,” according to the police report.
At the daycare center, Robinson went through the girl’s file and found similar incidents dating back to 2015, including bruises, scrapes, and even handprints on the child’s body.
The police report cited the files, stating there were 14 reports and in eight of those Aniya had verbally reported that “mommy hit me” or “mom did it.”
Despite the reports, it appears that no charges had been filed prior to the girl’s death.
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