Family members and emergency personnel desperately tried to save a 2-year-old Florida girl whose throat was allegedly slashed by her father during a court-sanctioned visit last week.
According to an arrest report, Geronimo Duran, 33, picked up his daughter, Melody Alana Rose Duran, from his ex-girlfriend’s house early Tuesday morning and took her to her home where she lives with her grandmother.
The grandmother returned home around 9:30 a.m. and found a horrifying scene in the kitchen.
According to an arrest report from the Pembroke Pines Police Department, Duran was lying face-up on top of the girl, who was pale and discolored.
Detectives said the grandmother yelled in Spanish, “Get off. What are you doing?”
According to the police report, she called 911 and ran to her room, but Duran “remained in the kitchen, made no comment and remained silent.”
During the 911 call, screams could be heard in the background, with Melody’s great-grandmother repeatedly yelling “Dios mio,” which means “my God” in Spanish.
Duran’s father-in-law quickly arrived on the scene and performed chest compressions and attempted CPR on the young victim until paramedics arrived.
Sergio Cabañas, Duran’s neighbor and family law attorney, Shared footage NBC 6 brings you the dramatic reaction captured on surveillance camera.
Cabañas said she hopes the video will raise awareness about domestic violence.
Cries could be heard coming from the home and the toddler was eventually seen being placed on a stretcher and taken away to an ambulance.
Melody was pronounced dead just before 10:30 a.m. at Memorial Regional Hospital, where detectives found a “large laceration” on her neck, according to documents filed with the Broward County Clerk’s Office.
A bloody steak knife was later found on the kitchen floor and Duran was covered in what appeared to be blood, police said.
During his arrest and questioning, he told detectives he was taking medication for depression and had smoked marijuana that day, and that he had previously been hospitalized for mental illness.
Duran told investigators that after the grandmother began calling for help, he strangled her until she lost consciousness and then slit her throat.
He reportedly told investigators he “messed up” and “ruined my family.”
“This is a very tragic incident and our hearts go out to the victim’s family. At this time, we are solely focused on bringing justice to her family,” Sergeant Jason Pallant of the Pembroke Pines Police Department said at a press conference Wednesday.
He added that the paramedics who tried to save the girl’s life have been given counselling following the incident.
A judge on Thursday ordered Duran held without bail on charges of first-degree murder and aggravated child abuse.
He was seen in court wearing shackles and a protective vest, which are meant to stop prisoners harming themselves. NBC 6 reported: And he remained silent during the hearing.
Duran and Melody’s mother, Mona Rosita Clark, were together for about 10 years before separating last year and beginning a custody battle for their daughter. The Daily Mail reported.
Clarke sued for full custody of Melody, detailing Duran’s struggles with mental illness, alleging he had a delusional disorder, experienced auditory hallucinations, had an angry temper and used illegal drugs.
According to the outlet, she claimed he had been violent and aggressive towards her and Melody, and had even punched their dog in the face.
Clark had asked Duran to take parenting classes and have supervised visitation, but a court granted unsupervised visitation in March. Melody visited him on Tuesday.
