Stepdad a killer: DA
Charged with murder in beating of 3-year-old Queens girl
THE 3-YEAR-OLD girl who died after cops found her unconscious in her Queens apartment suffered a fatal beating by her stepdad, prosecutors said Tuesday.
The Queens district attorney’s office hit Mark Jenkins — the stepfather of little Bella Edwards — with murder and assault charges after an autopsy showed the tot died Monday from bluntforce trauma to her stomach.
Other medical tests on Bella’s body are still pending, and police have not ruled out the possibility of sexual abuse, cop sources said.
Bella’s mom, Shamika Gonzalez, said on social media that she’ll most miss her little girl’s hugs and kisses.
“I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to protect you,” Gonzalez said in an emotional Facebook post to the child.
“Bella was friendly, beautiful, affectionate, smart and lovable and the best daughter anyone can ask for,” Gonzalez said in a message to the Daily News. “She . . . was (a) very affectionate sister to her baby brother Logan. She was loved by many who came to know her.”
Gonzalez left the apartment about 9 a.m. on Monday. She returned about 5 p.m. and found Bella unconscious in her bed about a half-hour later, sources said.
A frantic 911 call about 6 p.m. brought cops to Gonzalez’s Rockaways apartment, where officers frantically tried to revive the unconscious toddler.
Cops rushed Bella from the family’s Beach 105th St. apartment near Shore Front Parkway to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway, where she died, police said.
The girl showed signs of trauma consistent with abuse, sources said. The NYPD special victims unit is investigating her death, as are detectives from the 100th Precinct stationhouse, where a number of family members gathered in grief.
“Keep my family in your prayers,” said Quintina Thorne, 28, a cousin. “Justice for Bella! Justice for Bella!”
The 32-year-old stepfather was the only adult with Bella for most of the day, police sources said. Jenkins, according to records, has four previous arrests. Three of them are sealed, but he was convicted of attempted murder in the Bronx and served five years in prison before he was conditionally released by the state Parole Board in September 2011.
“This is a terribly disturbing case. The victim here is an innocent little girl, whose body revealed traumatic abuse injuries,” Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
Neighbor Laura Cabrera, 36, said she had just seen Bella on Easter Sunday. Jenkins was holding her hand, she said.
“I just told (Bella) how beautiful she was,” Cabrera said, crying, as she recalled the happy memory. “She said ‘thank you’ in the sweetest little voice. She was such a beautiful kid. You focused on her.”
The city Administration for Children’s Services had never investigated complaints of abuse against Bella until now, sources with knowledge of the case said.
“As soon as this family came to our attention last night, we immediately launched an investigation with the NYPD,” Administration for Children’s Services spokesman Eric Ferrero said.
Police said a 3-month-old baby was also found in the apartment. Medics took the infant to a hospital for evaluation.
The child won’t be returned to Gonzalez until after the investigation is concluded, officials said.