Derren Morris, 23, of Mount Vernon made an appearance in court on Wednesday, where he pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree assault after proceedings shifted from Mount Vernon City Court to White Plains.
Morris allegedly “repeatedly and forcefully struck 2-year-old Addison Turner about the abdomen. This force trauma inflicted by (Morris) caused multiple contusions, a lacerated liver, mesentery contusions and severe internal bleeding, which resulted in the child’s death,” according to the indictment.
On the same day, while he was reportedly taking care of his girlfriend’s children for several hours, Morris also allegedly struck Turner’s twin sister, putting her in the hospital in critical condition, police said.
Morris was living with his father in a basement apartment on South Third Avenue, and the girls moved in with them because they were suffering from lead poisoning contracted in their Bridgeport, Conn. home, according to lohud.com. He is being held at the Westchester County Jail and is due back in court to answer the charges later this year.
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