NEW YORK – The young victim was hiding under a bed after her mother chased her and her sister with an electrical cord and a broom in an attack that lasted two hours, according to court documents.
The mother of a 9-year-old girl who was found dead inside a Brooklyn apartment was indicted Tuesday on various charges including murder and assault, with some of the traumatizing details of the alleged abuse being shared for the first time.
Shemene Cato was referred to Kings County Criminal Court after the charges she faces were filed in court. In addition to murder and assault, she is charged with involuntary manslaughter, weapons possession and endangering the welfare of a child.
Court documents broke down what allegedly happened on the morning of May 15, when Cato, 48, allegedly carried out an attack that ultimately claimed the life of 9-year-old Shalom Guifarro, his youngest daughter.
Around 8 am, the mother beat her two daughters with an electrical cable and a broom, in an assault that lasted for about two hours, according to prosecutors.
While trying to hide and escape the abuse inside her Crown Heights home, little Shalom crawled under a bed to hide. However, Cato lifted the bed and went to get the girl out, according to court documents. However, when he was going to do that, he dropped the bed, causing one of its legs to break.
That caused the bed to fall on Shalom’s head, prosecutors said. He allegedly also suffered other cuts and bruises to the lower half of his body. The medical examiner later found that Shalom had multiple blunt force impact injuries to her face, head and body, which caused internal bleeding and ultimately killed her, according to the documents.
Information on Cato’s attorney was not immediately available. Police initially questioned her mother on Sunday, but she was released before being arrested Monday afternoon after the city medical examiner ruled the case a homicide.
Neighbors near the home on Lincoln Place where the girl was found said a foul odor wafted from the house before police arrived around 1 p.m. Sunday.
The Child Protective Services Administration says it is investigating.
“Our top priority is protecting the safety and well-being of New York City’s children. We are investigating this case with the NYPD and have taken steps to ensure the safety of the other child in this home,” a spokesperson said. of ACS.
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