David Brown-Barrett arrested for murder of 13-month-old
A Connecticut man is in jail today after authorities said he punched a 13-month-old so savagely that the tot died from her injuries. David Brown-Barrett, 19, was taken into custody last week for the death of baby Taiasia Allen.
Brown-Barrett was apparently babysitting Taiasia and lost patience with the crying child. The teen, who is a senior in high school and is dating the child’s mother, initially told authorities that the baby had fallen off the bed but later admitted to punching her in the stomach.
After leaving and returning to the room where he left the child, Barrett told authorities that he noticed that she wasn’t breathing and was bleeding and foaming at the mouth.
He then declined to call 9-11, but took the child to a relative’s house, who flagged down someone driving by to take him and the baby to the hospital.
Baby Taiasia went into cardiac arrest at the hospital and died.
Brown-Barrett faces charges of first-degree assault and risk of injury to a minor. Police are reportedly working to upgrade the charges now that the baby’s death has been ruled a homicide.
The teen was out on bond at the time of Taiasia’s death for a trespassing, larceny and burglary case.
No word yet from the baby’s mother.
-danielle canada
