A Chicago man has been charged with murder after confessing to beating his girlfriend’s 19-month-old daughter to death on Sunday, New York’s Daily News reports.
According to authorities, who confirmed that the confession that was made on Wednesday, 23-year-old James Harris said he had beaten Amierah Roberson to death in his home, where she was left in his care, before dumping her in a park in the suburban neighborhood of Riverdale.
The toddler’s mother, Jocelyn Roberson, left her daughter with her boyfriend while she went off to work. She reported her daughter missing after returning home, not knowing that Harris was already in police custody.
A passerby had reported finding the girl’s battered body some 20 miles away from Harris’ apartment. She died of head trauma, the Daily News notes.
Harris confessed to the crime on Wednesday after initially saying that he had put the little girl down briefly before turning back around and losing sight of her.
According to the Daily News, Harris has a child of his own but has never had any contact with Illinois’ Department of Children and Family Services.
Roberson, however, did have a pending abuse case from earlier this year.
Read more at the Daily News.