THE BRONX — A 22-year-old mother and her boyfriend were charged with manslaughter Tuesday after her 3-year-old daughter's death was officially ruled a homicide, officials said.
Sherika Stewart and boyfriend Leon Walters, 25, had told investigators they had beaten Ahnya Louis-Hardy on her arms and legs between 5 and 11 p.m. April 28 inside the family's Manhattan College Parkway apartment, according to their criminal complaint.
The medical examiner determined on Saturday that the child died from complications resulting from the beating and prosecutors updated their charges on Tuesday, according to Bronx prosecutors and the medical examiner's office.
The two had been previously charged with assault, reckless endangerment of a child, and endangering the welfare of a child. These charges were upgraded after the medical examiner ruled Ahnya's death a homicide.
After being arraigned on manslaughter charges, the two were remanded back into police custody, prosecutors said. Their next court appearance is scheduled for Friday.
