2 Women Charged With Murder In 'Horrific' Beating Death Of 2-Year-Old Girl In Tacony, Officials Say
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Two women are facing murder charges after the beating death of a 2-year-old girl. Police first responded to Marsden Street in the city's Tacony neighborhood on Thursday for an unresponsive child.
The district attorney's office says it approved charges Saturday for two suspects -- Yaritza Cirilo-Fuentes, who was considered the child's godmother, and Helen Smith, who was not related to the child but was living in the home.
Officials called the beating "horrific" and "long-term."
"I can't imagine that there would ever be a motive that could be understood or sort of dissected from an adult person who would torture a 2-year-old," Assistant District Attorney Chesley Lightsey said.
The district attorney's office says the mother didn't have custody of the child, and had left her in the care of Cirilo-Fuentes, believing the young girl would be safe.
If anyone has information about this case you're asked to reach out to the Philadelphia Police homicide unit.
