A Phoenix woman was arrested yesterday after police determined that she knew her husband was abusing her 3-year-old daughter and did nothing to stop it.
The baby, Dani Mayo, died from her injuries after suffering months of abuse at the hands of her step-father, 22-year-old Corey Daniels. Daniels is married to the girl's mother, 23-year-old Ambreatte Daniels.
According to court documents obtained by New Times, between September 3, and October 27, 3-year-old Dani was repeatedly beaten by Daniels with a belt and with his fists. In at least one case, he even bit the girl.
Dani's final beating came on October 27, when Daniels admittedly beat the girl because she didn't want to eat a hot dog.
During the beating, Daniels later admitted to police, he punched the
girl at least five times -- with a closed-fist -- in the chest. He told
police he continued to punch the girl in the arms and legs before
whipping her with a belt at least 16 times.
While dozens of punches and belt whips might seem beyond excessive as
punishment for a 3-year-old who didn't want to eat a hotdog, Daniels
wasn't finished -- he punched her again in the nose and mouth before the
brutal beating was over.
The girl's injuries were serious and ultimately killed her -- police say
she had bruises from head to toe, multiple skull fractures, brain
bleeding, and retinal hemorrhages. She died from her injuries a few days
after the beating.
Daniels claims the head injuries were caused when the girl hit her head on a drawer.
In separate beating -- about three weeks earlier -- Daniels later told
police, the girl urinated in her pants. Daniels responded by biting the
girl's butt.
As her husband continuously beat her daughter, police say the girl's mother knew of the abuse, and even documented it with photos on her cell phone.
Also on Ambreatte Daniels' cell phone, police found text messages discussing the bite mark on the girl's butt. Police also found text messages where the Daniels discussed using duct tape to bound the girl so she wouldn't be able to put her hands behind her back while she was getting spanked.
Ambreatte Daniels' only suggestion to her husband was that he stop using the belt to beat her daughter.
Corey Daniels faces a murder charge in the girl's death. Ambreatte Daniels was booked into a Maricopa County jail on one count of child abuse.
