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Neil White, Husband Of NBC VP, Chokes Seven-Year-Old Daughter To Death In Her Bed

By Stacey Cole
Published on: 22:40 PST, Jun 7, 2017

NBC Vice President’s husband chokes their seven-year-old daughter to death in her bed. The horrific incident took place at their New Rochelle home less than 24 hours after Neil White had surrendered the family home in the wake of the ongoing divorce proceedings.

Neil White was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the death of his daughter Gabrielle, seven-years-old, whom he shared with wife, NBC talent acquisition Vice President, Michelle Hord-White.

Neil White, 47-years-old, who had his wrists cut at the time of the incident, was alone at home with daughter Gabrielle when he presumably suffocated her. The incident took place on Tuesday at around 3 P.M.

NBC VP Michelle Hord-White, who filed for divorce from Neil White in April, was not home at the time of the incident and was said to be in “hysterics” when she arrived to the horrific scene, according to the Daily Mail.

One day before he choked his daughter to death, Neil White approved a deal to surrender the New Rochelle home to his estranged wife as part of the divorce proceedings. Less than 24 hours after surrendering the house, White stopped by the house to suffocate his own daughter in bed.

Police say it was Gabrielle’s babysitter, Tonette Mahon, who called 911 after discovering the girl was not moving or breathing in her bed. Mahon reportedly got “several alarming text messages” that made her rush to the house.

When Mahon entered the house, the estranged father Neil White showed up, with his wrists covered in blood, and said Gabrielle was “in her room resting.”

The babysitter went to check on Gabrielle only to find the seven-year-old girl not moving or breathing in her bed. She immediately called 911, but it was too late as medics confirmed Gabrielle had been asphyxiated.

It’s unclear why Neil White had his wrists covered in blood, but he presumably tried to kill himself by cutting the wrists. It’s also unclear if he decided to cut his wrists before or after choking his daughter to death.

Michelle Hord-White reportedly arrived to the horrific scene in “hysterics.” Gabrielle was a second-grader at William B. Ward Elementary School.

Since filing for divorce two months ago, Neil White and Michelle Hord-White have lived in separate houses and shared custody of their seven-year-old daughter.

Speaking to CBS2’s Jessica Layton after the horrific incident, the babysitter Mahon admitted that she did not see it all coming. Describing Gabrielle as “beautiful,” she said the seven-year-old was ” the light of their lives.”

“I know the family, just — she was the light, she was the light of their lives.”

Michelle Hord-White echoed the babysitter’s sentiment, saying in a statement that “no words could sum up all that Gabrielle meant to us but she was our light.”

“We are broken and devastated that our sweet little girl is gone but we’re thankful that we had seven wonderful years with her.”

Neil White, who possibly tried to commit suicide after suffocating his daughter, was treated for his wrist wounds at a hospital. Less than 24 hours after the horrific incident, White appeared in a New Rochelle court in a blue hospital gown, according to USA Today.

Announcing the ruling on Wednesday, New Rochelle City Judge Anthony Carbone ordered to have Neil White locked up and issued two orders of protection – for Michelle Hord-White and for another person, whose name hasn’t been disclosed to the media, but it’s presumably the babysitter who was the first person to arrive to the scene.

Neil White will appear in court for the second time on June 15. The exact cause of death of Gabrielle requires an autopsy, though police say the cause of death was asphyxia by suffocation.

[Featured Image by Shutterstock]

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