Bronx mother accused of murdering her daughter, police say

Published Apr 26, 2024 at 3:23 p.m. ET

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Published Apr 26, 2024 at 3:23 p.m. ET

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A Bronx mother is facing charges of murder after allegedly killing her 6-year-old daughter last year.

Police arrested Lynija Eason Kumar, 27, on Thursday afternoon. The chief medical examiner ruled her daughter’s death a homicide in February.

According to NYPD officials, Jalayah Eason, 6, was found unconscious and unresponsive in May 2023 in the apartment she shared with her mother in NYCHA’s Forest Houses on East 165th Street in Morrisania. She was discovered with bruising and trauma around her wrists and torso, police said.

Jalayah was taken to Lincoln Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Police initially arrested Eason Kumar for endangering the welfare of her other two children, an 8-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter. According to the Daily News, both children were taken into custody by the Administration for Children’s Services after their sister’s death, and Eason Kumar was granted supervised release without bail on those charges.

An investigation by the medical examiner's office eventually revealed that Jalayah had been beaten and malnourished, and died by suffocation, according to officials. That finding led police to arrest Eason Kumar on new charges, police said on Friday.

Eason Kumar was expected to be arraigned in Bronx Criminal Court on Friday, on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter of a person under 11 years old, and reckless manslaughter.

Information for Eason Kumar's lawyer was not immediately available.

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Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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