(Cleveland) - A Cuyahoga County jury reached a verdict Thursday afternoon, in the murder of 4-year-old Aniyah Garrett:
Guilty, for both defendants, and for all criminal counts.
Aniyah's mother, 24-year-old Sierra Day, and her boyfriend, 27-year-old Deonte Lewis, serially abused and starved the child over the course of several months,before she was finally killed by blunt force trauma to the head, which led to a stroke. Aniyah died on March 11th of 2018, but a Euclid police report showed 14 recorded instances of abuse against Day and Lewis in regard to Aniyah, going back to 2015.
The daycare center Aniyah attended also noticed signs of physical abuse, but neglected to notify authorities. That business, Harbor Crest, was later forced to close the business. Internal records showed 11 separate instances of abuse, including black eyes and bruises, which were noticed and recorded by daycare workers in the months leading up to the child's death. The owners of Harbor Crest had their license revoked, and cannot apply for another for the next four years.
Both Day and Lewis face a maximum term of life in prison, without the possibility of parole, when they are sentenced in April.
Photos: Courtesy of WKYC
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