Mother, half-brother face murder charges in death of Bronx 7-year-old girl
NEW YORK - The mother and teenaged half-brother of a Bronx girl found in her Mott Haven apartment last year are now charged with murder.
The NYPD arrested Paul Fine, 18, and Navasia Jones, 36, on Wednesday morning.
7-year-old Julissa Battles was found unconscious inside an apartment at 175 Alexander Ave. just after 8 a.m. on Aug. 10, 2021.
EMS rushed her to Lincoln Hospital but it was too late to save her life.
The Medical Examiner determined that her death was a homicide and she had been beaten to death.
After a lengthy investigation, the New York City Police Department made the arrests.
Fine, of Brooklyn, faces charges of murder, manslaughter, assault, sexual abuse, and acting in a manner injurious to a child.
Jones faces charges of murder, manslaughter, acting in a manner injurious to a child, and failure to exercise control of a minor.
The little girl's grandmother had reportedly fought for years to gain custody of her, fearing the mother would harm her at some point.