Autopsy results released in 7-year-old's murder
Nixzmary Brown was tortured and beaten to death, allegedly by her mother and stepfather
Eyewitness News' N.J. Burkett
(Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn -WABC, January 13, 2006) - There is more finger pointing and more promises to prevent further tragedies as the city continues to cope with this week's horrifying case of child abuse.
The autopsy results were released a short time ago.
Eyewitness News reporter N.J. Burkett is live in Bedford-Stuyvesant with the latest.
Based on what was already known, the results of the autopsy are chilling, but sadly, not entirely surprising. She was clearly the victim of child abuse syndrome, concluded the medical examiner.
The specific cause of death was blunt force impact to the head that caused a subdural hematoma, a blood clot in other words, in her brain. It's a story that is all the more disturbing because it could have been prevented.
As the memorial to little Nixzmary Brown continues to grow, so do the questions.
A.J. Ortiz, Neighbor: "What do you got to have? Another hundred more times? Kids that got to die and wind up like this? It's no good."
The girl's stepfather is charged with murder, her mother with manslaughter. Police say Nixzmary was beaten and tortured until she died earlier this week, a seven-year-old girl who weighed just under 40 pounds.
Just a few weeks ago school officials complained to child welfare authorities about excessive absences, even suspicious bruises, but there was no follow-up visit.
Schools Chancellor Joel Klein: "Since early December, the school staff kept ACS apprised regarding absences and the staff's inability to contact the family."
The mayor made this promise to the city in his weekly radio show this morning.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg: "Once we get through this I want to look at whether or not all of these agencies, the department of education, ACS, all of the social services, are talking to each other adequately."
It is not as if the signs and signals were missed here, it is just apparently that they were ignored. The mayor insisted today that he is determined to get to the bottom of this and we will have much more coming up on Eyewitness News at 5:00 p.m.
(Copyright 2006 WABC-TV)