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Allante Edwards: Texas Babysitter Beats 1-Year-Old Girl To Death

By Tito Ojo-Medubi
Published on: 05:23 PST, Jan 10, 2017

Allante Edwards, a Texas man who was supposed to watch over three children, ended up beating a 1-year-old girl to death. According to Fox 4 News, Edwards was charged with two counts of injury to a child after he pummeled his girlfriend’s daughter, Olivia Cangemi, until she lost consciousness.

The 19-year-old then called emergency services to report that someone was unconscious. When emergency personnel arrived on the scene, they found the little girl unresponsive. The 1-year-old had bruises on her forehead and chest, brain swelling, abdominal trauma, and rib fractures. She was placed on life support as soon as she arrived at the Children’s Medical Center Hospital in Dallas. Olivia was eventually taken off life support on Sunday

The little girl’s 6-month-old brother, who is also Edward’s biological child, and a 3-year-old girl were not spared. Both were injured by Edwards, who police discovered has a lengthy history of domestic abuse. The infant boy had bite marks on his cheeks that the 19-year-old Irving man tried to dismiss “because that is what you do to kids because they’re so cute.”

The police officers on the scene did not buy Edward’s story because it was not in tandem with the injuries that they saw. The two surviving children are currently under the care of Child Protection Services. The 1-year-old girl’s mother, Jennifer Cangemi, was out of town working and had left her live-in boyfriend to care for the kids. Jennifer described her little child as a sweet girl, adding that she was grateful for the precious time she had spent with her

“She was the most sweetest, smart, beautiful little girl I have ever seen in my life. I’m grateful I did at least get to spend some time with her.”

Jennifer Cangemi refused to answer questions on why she left children with a man who had a history of domestic abuse. Instead, she revealed that Olivia’s organs would be donated to dire children in need. The mother said that she would manage to find some happiness knowing that her child was living on through other children.

“She can live on through other children, and she helped about three to four kids already… I’m glad three to four other kids are living because of my daughter.”

Speaking for the family, Olivia’s grandmother, Karen Cangemi, said the other two children had been left without a sister, adding that they would seek justice for the death of Olivia.

“As a family, we want justice for Olivia. My daughter has two other children, a 3-month-old and a 6-month-old child, who are now without their sister.”

Texas police were called to the residence of Jennifer and Allante shortly before Christmas after a domestic-violence complaint was lodged. Allante Edwards was alleged to have scratched Jennifer Cangemi’s face. The 19-year-old man has been charged with inflicting serious bodily injury on the surviving children. Authorities say the charge involving the 1-year-old girl would now be treated as a homicide. He is currently being held in an Irving county jail with bond set at $125,000, according to KHOU News.

In a Facebook post, Jennifer Cangemi said her heart was shattered at the loss of her daughter and prayed for her little girl to watch over her and the other kids from heaven. A post showed the distraught mother lying next to her child while she was on life support. She said a piece of her heart would forever remain with her daughter.

“My heart is heavy and a piece of it is laying here with Olivia and will forever be there… I have to go home later to see her room which I’m dreading. God gained another angel and I pray she will look over us. I love you always Olivia.”

[Featured Image by Irving Police Department]

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