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Philadelphia.– An attorney for the stepmother of a dead 10-year-old Philadelphia girl of Dominican origin said the child's father, who recently committed suicide, was responsible for her death.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, court-appointed attorney Barbara A. McDermott, who is representing Margarita Garabito, maintains Domingo Ferreira was the individual guilty of killing Chaleeni Ferreira.

Ferreira, 53, did not give a statement to police prior to hanging himself in his jail cell Sunday. Law enforcement sources said Garabito, 43, allegedly admitted to police she beat her stepdaughter because she was depressed and the child failed to listen to her.

Authorities said Chaleeni Ferreira died October 21 of an infection brought about by a lack of medical treatment for her broken ribs. Police said the infection caused the girl's lungs to fill with liquid and eventually collapse.

The Philadelphia Inquirer, which contacted Dominican Today regarding the case, is sending reporters to Las Galeras, Samana, in northeast Dominican Republic, to cover the funeral.

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COMMENTS
22 comment(s)
Written by: Blutarsky This user is banned, 1 Nov 2009 10:24 AM
From: Dominican Republic, No Spin Zone
to sad for words ....the real truth will never be known .....how can people do this to defenseless children....
Written by: BASTA, 1 Nov 2009 10:34 AM
From: Dominican Republic, =Ghetto/Legalize Drugs
because of no legal abortions. there are plenty; millions of worse stories out there - thanks GOD
Written by: Blutarsky This user is banned, 1 Nov 2009 10:56 AM
From: Dominican Republic, No Spin Zone
abortion is a poor excuse for this Basta
Written by: riosm, 1 Nov 2009 11:32 AM
From: United States
Blutarsky,
True....Some people go beyond and think killing innocent unborn Children is the solution.

Basta,
Why always blame GOD, not satan, ever heard of the words "The devil made me do it" ?
When will Men take responsibility and live life according to GOD's word.
Written by: HiHater, 1 Nov 2009 1:45 PM
From: United States, Brooklyn, NY
Forget about god and satan and politics of abortion.

Here we have a clear case of murder perpetrated by a "mother" whom neglected medical care for her daughter.

Let her rot in jail.

And instead of using this instance to take a political stance why don't you be quiet and mourn that an innocent child has died at the hands of an abusive and neglectful supposed mother figure.

May the girl rest in peace.
Written by: clinker, 1 Nov 2009 2:46 PM
From: Dominican Republic
A sad story for sure. But the headline is a huge exageration. Are you joking? Philly is shocked about the series, economy, etc. It is a large city with gangs, murders daily, etc.
Written by: Blutarsky This user is banned, 1 Nov 2009 2:51 PM
From: Dominican Republic, No Spin Zone
clinker when children are terribly mistreated like this it brings out the sadness in even hardened people she was small and innocent and this is the worst kind of treatment I hope there is some extenuating circumstance ...but nothing can bring the poor little girl back
Written by: alero69, 1 Nov 2009 2:57 PM
From: United States
I agree....Let her rot in jail.....I am sure someone will give a beating for what she did to a defenceless child. See how she likes getting her ribs broken. Let her keep her belt,maybe she will use it! Where is the mother of the child in this situation???
Written by: ateo1992 This user is banned, 1 Nov 2009 4:00 PM
From: Dominican Republic
scums!
Written by: fedadiaz This user is banned, 1 Nov 2009 4:47 PM
From: Dominican Republic
By the face of that son of a b....... I can realize that hi was a Dominican police officer..... looks like that.

He did the right way to do.....hang himself.......... He should do that before he kill his daugther.

Ese hijodeputa nacio criminal....mirenle la cara.
Written by: dondankar, 1 Nov 2009 5:56 PM
From: United States
We could look for the guilty person all along; however, I should say that we all are guilty in some extend, because if have we seen the stepmother giving the child a pela, we probably had done nothing but to say poor girl. There are signs of abuse showed by chldren, we just need to be aware of these signs and reported to the correct authorities. 311 in NY will direct you to the appropiate agencies that handle these issues or any other issue for that matter.

Don't be silence, when you see abuse. REPORT IT
Written by: dondankar, 1 Nov 2009 5:58 PM
From: United States
By the way, I will be surpris that she pull out of this one.

No death penalty in PA?...Anyone knows?
Written by: riosm, 1 Nov 2009 8:42 PM
From: United States
Hihater,
Seems like you'll never get it.....
And to think you call her a mother.
Written by: HiHater, 1 Nov 2009 9:29 PM
From: United States, Brooklyn, NY
riosm,

You should read more carefully.

I believe the saying goes "brilliance is in the details" or something to that effect. Either way I may not be dealing with the sharpest knife in the drawer.

So any way that was why I put the word mother in parenthesis, and added the phrase "supposed mother figure" now you see reading comprehension is not so difficult when you have some one holding you by your hand. By the way that was her step-mother according to the report, so again details are key.

And what exactly is it that I don't get?
Written by: Lopez31, 2 Nov 2009 10:13 AM
From: United States
The stepmother should follow the father's foot step and hang herself! People that harm innocent children shouldn't be allow to breath our same oxygen.
Written by: xwill7, 2 Nov 2009 11:15 AM
From: United States, El cuarto bate
too sad... if they did not want the child, they should have let her go to a family that wanted a child
Written by: MannyTav, 2 Nov 2009 12:09 PM
From: United States
This is the way this case works out: she pleads out because the State's case just went belly=up with the father hangign himself.....if they go to trial the lawyer beats the rap by blaming the father who demonstrated gulit by hanghing himself.....she pleads domestic abuse, etc., she'll cop and do maybe five, if that many. On another note, there's nothing wrong with a "pela." A little aspanking administered properly is a parent's choice and should not be taken away as a knee-jerk reaction to these horrible events when they happen. There's a huge difference between a "pela" and child abuse. I've raised my son without hitting him, but that was a personal choice and am convinced that I should have spanked his butt then and now to reinforce some points. But you live and learn....lol...
Written by: riosm, 2 Nov 2009 1:40 PM
From: United States
Xwill7,
Thanks for that input.

HiHater,
Oop's my bad.

Written by: xwill7, 2 Nov 2009 1:45 PM
From: United States, El cuarto bate
riosm,
there are so many families out there were the wife can not get pregnant. They would adopt in a heartbeat. If they hate their children... let them go. you do not know what the innocent child could have been in life.

people need to stop bringing out the belt everytime. find out why the child is acting up first
Written by: hellborn25, 2 Nov 2009 1:50 PM
From: United States, new jersey
well dominican parents are 95 percent abusive to there kids, I got hit with belt so many time growing I lost count the thing is parents tend to blame all of there problems on there children. its really dumb the way some dominican parents act towards there childern , I seen parents whoop there children inside a store very violently . its dont blame your kids , because you fail in life or you couldt find that condom that day you got knockt up.
Written by: xwill7, 2 Nov 2009 2:11 PM
From: United States, El cuarto bate
I thank god that my parents never hit me. Some old school fathers would hit the kids with the steal part of the belt
Written by: HiHater, 2 Nov 2009 2:35 PM
From: United States, Brooklyn, NY
riosm its all good man, sorry if i was a bit harsh.
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