Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced on June 29 that a Bronx woman and her 17-year-old son were charged with murder, manslaughter and additional charges in the August 2021 death of the woman’s seven-year-old daughter, Julissia Batties.

 

In the context of the announcement, Clark said, “A woman and her teenage son caused the death of her innocent, defenseless seven-year-old daughter, Julissia, in their Bronx home. The child was beaten and sexually abused and denied medical attention. This is a revolting, disturbing case of brutality and callousness.”

 

She added, “A 10-month investigation with the NYPD led to the indictments, charging the defendants with murder. The investigation revealed that Julissia was failed throughout her brief life. The signs of her torment were there but not acted on. We send our condolences to Julissia’s father and grandmother, who remain devastated by the loss of this beautiful, little girl.”

 

According to the investigation, between Aug. 8, 2021 and Aug. 10, 2021, Julissia Batties, 7, was allegedly beaten and died while in the care of her mother, defendant, Navasia Jones, 35, last of Brooklyn N.Y., and half-brother, defendant, Paul Fine Jr., 17, of Brooklyn, N.Y., in their apartment in 175 Alexander Avenue in Mott Haven.

 

According to the investigation, Jones called 911 at 8.06 a.m. on Aug. 10, 2021, after being urged by a family member to do so. When first responders arrived, Julissia had no pulse and no vital signs. The child was taken to Lincoln Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

 

After her death, according to the investigation, the defendants allegedly told police Julissia had fallen down, and was vomiting and urinating on herself at about 5 a.m. They also allegedly said the child fell against various items in the apartment or on the floor. Those statements were inconsistent with the fatal and nonfatal injuries on Julissia’s body.

 

Fine Jr. later confessed to Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) that he had assaulted the child all over her body between Aug. 8 and Aug. 10, 2021, and admitted to punching Julissia multiple times on the day of her death.

 

The office of the chief medical examiner determined the child died by homicide caused by blunt force trauma to her abdomen. Examiners concluded she was struck with enough force to cause her internal organs to tear and bleed, filling her abdomen with blood. Examiners also found multiple bruises visible about the child’s entire face, chin, and back of right ear.

 

The medical examiner determined the bruises on Julissia’s face were consistent with pattern bruising, likely caused by a fist or hand. There were additional injuries, visible bruises, marks, and scratches on Julissia’s body, including on both wrists, her clavicle, upper thigh and mouth.

 

According to the investigation, Fine Jr. allegedly sexually abused Julissia. The medical examiner found that the child had injuries that were consistent with sexual assault, and that those injuries were inflicted after Julissia had already begun to experience symptoms caused by the assaults to her abdomen.

 

Clark said Jones and Fine Jr. were arraigned on an indictment, charging two counts of second-degree murder, under circumstances evincing a depraved indifference to human life, two counts of second-degree manslaughter, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and Fine Jr. was additionally charged with first-degree assault, and first-degree sexual abuse. The defendants were arraigned before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Marsha Michael. They were remanded in custody. Jones is due back in court on Sept. 12, and Fine Jr. on July 5.

 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Alexandra Militano, supervisor in the Child Abuse/Sex Crimes Bureau, and Danielle Pascale, deputy chief of the Child Abuse/Sex Crimes Bureau, under the supervision of Mimi Mairs, chief of the Child Abuse/Sex Crimes Bureau, and under the overall supervision of Adrienne Giunta, deputy chief of the Special Victims Division, and Joseph Muroff, chief of the Special Victims Division.

 

Clark thanked senior trial counsel, Astrid Borgstedt, and Assistant District Attorney Camila Sosa, both of the Child Abuse/Sex Crimes Bureau for their work on the case, and trial preparation assistants, India Pankey-Pilgrim, and Elaina Clarke, case discovery analyst, Vanessa Cabrera DeLeon.

 

She also thanked NYPD Detective Jeff Grater of the 40^th Precinct and Detective Colin Higgins of Bronx Homicide for their work on the investigation.

 

A person accused and charged with a crime is deemed innocent unless and until convicted in a court of law.