US stepfather admits to beating two-year-old girl to death with coat hanger

A 21-year-old man admitted to beating his girlfriend's two-year-old daughter to death with a coat hanger and belt after she accidentally soiled his bed. 

Jamarius Devonti Graham, 21, from Florida, was watching the toddler on April 21 last year when her mother was at work, reported AsianTown.

The mother told police later that the child's father was not available to look after their daughter, so she left him under Graham's care while she was at work. 

After the toddler, Aaliyah Lewis, accidentally soiled his bed, he reportedly spanked her 20 times with a belt and a plastic coat hanger. 

In a phone call at around noon, Graham told Aaliyah's mother that he had spanked the child, but denied that it was too hard. 

When the mother returned from work, they waited close to an hour and a half before they left for a hospital. 

An autopsy revealed that the child had suffered multiple traumatic injuries to her head and torso. There was also swelling in the lungs and brain. 

The Medical Examiner's Office could not determine the child's cause of death.

It was reported that when the police arrived at the hospital, the child's mother lied and said that her daughter had been taken care of by another babysitter. 

She only admitted later that the child had been in the care of Graham.

A spokesperson for the State Attorney's Office said:

"The aggravated child abuse charge against Graham carries with it a 30-year maximum and reflects the findings of the Medical Examiner's Office, which indicated the cause and manner of death could not be determined."