Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

Defense Argued Nixzaliz Santiago 'Never Understood What Happened'
NEW YORK (CBS) ? A state Supreme Court jury has found the mother of the 7-year-old Brooklyn girl who died a torturous death inside her apartment guilty of first-degree manslaughter, CBS 2 has learned.

Nixzaliz Santiago was also convicted of first and second degree assault, unlawful imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a child.

The jury of 10 women and two men delivered the verdict Friday after beginning deliberations Wednesday morning. On Thursday, the jury had requested to see tapes of Santiago's police interview.

During the trial's closing arguments, Santiago's attorney Kathleen Mullin practically screamed at the jury yelling, pacing, coming to within a foot of the them as she claimed her client was innocent. Instead, she blamed Nixzmary's death squarely on Cesar Rodriguez, the girl's stepfather who had already been found guilty in an earlier trial for manslaughter.

"He took her from that bathroom; and he beat her in that back bedroom, away from Mrs. Santiago. She never knew, or never understood what happened to her daughter," Mullin said.

But prosecutors painted a different picture, billing Santiago as a mother who provoked her husband to abuse her 7-year-old daughter and did nothing to help as the battered, naked girl lay dying on their apartment floor.

The case has been one that has cast a negative light on the city's child welfare system.

The incident two years ago hastened reforms and made Nixzmary's name synonymous with child abuse. The girl was so malnourished when she died that she weighed only 36 pounds -- about half the weight of an average girl that age.

Rodriguez, was convicted of manslaughter for delivering the blow that killed the girl.

But defense lawyer Sammy Sanchez portrayed Santiago herself as a victim -- a loving but "unsophisticated" mother with a fifth-grade education who relied on men for support.

He also hinted that she had emotional problems, telling the jury how she took a miscarried fetus home from the hospital in a jar and put it in her bedroom.

Sanchez and Mullin both blamed Nixzmary's death on Rodriguez, who is serving up to 29 years in prison after being convicted in March. He was acquitted of a murder charge that could have sent him away for life.

Sanchez said Rodriguez became increasingly violent after losing his job in 2005, and Santiago had no choice to but to stay. "She didn't want to go back to a shelter. She had a dilemma," he said.

Prosecutor Ama Dwimoh, who also argued the case against Rodriguez, contrasted the two cases. She said Rodriguez's centered on what he did, while Santiago's was about what she didn't do.

"The last words of 7-year-old Nixzmary Brown, moaning in pain and gasping for air, were, 'Mommy, mommy, mommy,"' Dwimoh said. "She didn't love or comfort, and she didn't stop the beatings, and she didn't get any help."

Nixzmary died Jan. 11, 2006, of a vicious blow to the head while being punished for stealing yogurt. Santiago reported finding the child unconscious in the family's three-bedroom apartment.

Investigators discovered she had been a virtual prisoner, confined to a room with dirty mattresses, a broken radiator, a wooden chair to which she was bound with a rope, and a litter box she was forced to use instead of a toilet.

There had been warning signs for years before Nixzmary's death. School employees had reported that she had been absent for weeks the previous year. Neighbors noticed unexplained injuries and noted the child appeared underfed, though Sanchez has said she was just small for her age. Child welfare workers had been alerted twice but said they found no conclusive evidence of abuse.

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

GOOD

GOOD

GOOD!

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

Thank god. May that sweet little girl's soul rest in peace. She lived a nightmare.

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

"He took her from that bathroom; and he beat her in that back bedroom, away from Mrs. Santiago. She never knew, or never understood what happened to her daughter," Mullin said.


BULL SH!T!!!!!


She is a pig, and is just as guilty as that bas tard who hit that baby. May she rot in hell.

Message edited 10/17/2008 4:13:50 PM.

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

Posted by JennZ

She is a pig, and is just as guilty as that bas tard who hit that baby. May she rot in hell.

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

That mother is a disgusting excuse for a human being--she let this happen to her daughter and I hope she rots and burns in hell.

good riddance

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

Good, I hope she rots in jail.

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

Posted by JennZ

"He took her from that bathroom; and he beat her in that back bedroom, away from Mrs. Santiago. She never knew, or never understood what happened to her daughter," Mullin said.


BULL SH!T!!!!!


She is a pig, and is just as guilty as that bas tard who hit that baby. May she rot in hell.

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

Posted by JennZ

"He took her from that bathroom; and he beat her in that back bedroom, away from Mrs. Santiago. She never knew, or never understood what happened to her daughter," Mullin said.


BULL SH!T!!!!!


She is a pig, and is just as guilty as that bas tard who hit that baby. May she rot in hell.

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

Posted by JennZ

"He took her from that bathroom; and he beat her in that back bedroom, away from Mrs. Santiago. She never knew, or never understood what happened to her daughter," Mullin said.


BULL SH!T!!!!!


She is a pig, and is just as guilty as that bas tard who hit that baby. May she rot in hell.

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

"He also hinted that she had emotional problems, telling the jury how she took a miscarried fetus home from the hospital in a jar and put it in her bedroom. "


UMMM what how would someone even get a miscarried fetus?

Sanchez said Rodriguez became increasingly violent after losing his job in 2005, and Santiago had no choice to but to stay. "She didn't want to go back to a shelter. She had a dilemma," he said.

NO dilemma... Id live on the street if it ment saving my childs life!

"The last words of 7-year-old Nixzmary Brown, moaning in pain and gasping for air, were, 'Mommy, mommy, mommy,"' Dwimoh said. "She didn't love or comfort, and she didn't stop the beatings, and she didn't get any help."




Nixzmary died Jan. 11, 2006, of a vicious blow to the head while being punished for stealing yogurt. Santiago reported finding the child unconscious in the family's three-bedroom apartment.

Investigators discovered she had been a virtual prisoner, confined to a room with dirty mattresses, a broken radiator, a wooden chair to which she was bound with a rope, and a litter box she was forced to use instead of a toilet.

Message edited 10/17/2008 4:27:27 PM.

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

Good! She deserves it!

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

Thank God! I know I am a new mother but I would do anything in the world to defend my son. I would physically hurt anyone who so much as looked at him crooked. She deserves everything she gets!! May that poor little girl rest in peace and find comfort in her almighty father

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

on the news it said that she showed no emotional when she heard the verdict. she could face 30 yrs in prison. she can't have any contact with her other children

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

I can barely read this. It makes me ill. May that poor little girl have the peace she never had on earth

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

Posted by BunnyWife
May that poor little girl have the peace she never had on earth

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

Disgusts me that she is on this Earth! Also disgusts me like someone like that can have children when there are so many people in this world would have cherished that little girl!

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

Good riddance. Hope she suffers in jail.

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

She should burn in hell

As far as I'm concerned she is worse than that POS husband of hers. That was HER child, she should of protected her from that animal!!!!

Rot in hell both of them

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

I worked in the DA office for Ama Dwimoh for several years. She is very dedicated to these children

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

Justice has been done.. RIP Nixmary

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

May that little angel rest in peace!!

I think the mother deserves everything that she got.

Re: Nixzmary Brown's Mother Found Guilty

UGH, the cousins of the mother's boyfriend are in my school - DISGUSTING

just horrifying and when it happened one of them actually said "That's my uncle" -

Then I had an argument with a parent yesterday in regards to why the school called ACS - "To prevent something like this from EVER happening again"