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Aunt Allegedly Beat Nephew To Death Over Spelling Assignment


By

Rebecca Fishbein

Published Feb 28, 2015

Modified Mar 25, 2018


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By

Rebecca Fishbein

Published Feb 28, 2015

Modified Mar 25, 2018


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A 21-year-old woman who reportedly admitted to beating her 3-year-old nephew to death with a belt in a Brownsville apartment this week is currently being held without bail, and prosecutors claim she attacked the boy because he wouldn't finish a spelling assignment.

Christen Dale, 21, has been charged with manslaughter, assault, endangering the welfare of a child, and criminal possession of a weapon following the death of 3-year-old Ethan Ali on Wednesday. According to a a criminal complaint, Dale admitted to striking Ethan with a belt because he refused to do a spelling assignment that had been due Tuesday. Prosecutor Frank DeGaetano told the court she hit the toddler "a number of times;" the medical examiner's office ruled Ethan died from “multiple blunt impact injuries.”

Dale is being held without bail, and has been put on a court-ordered suicide watch.

Tagged

brooklyn

brownsville

child abuse

christen dale

ethan ali


Rebecca Fishbein

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