A 4-year-old girl who police said suffered a severe brain injury when she was brutally beaten and raped in a Northeast Baltimore apartment Wednesday died yesterday at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Janiya Woodley died the same day that her 15-year-old cousin -- arrested in the attack -- was ordered held without bail by a District Court judge during a brief hearing at the Central Booking and Intake Center.
Ronald Hinton, who police said was baby-sitting Janiya and her brother, has been charged with first-degree rape, assault and child abuse. Authorities now have to decide whether to file additional charges in connection with the girl's death.
FOR THE RECORD - Because of incorrect information provided by the Baltimore Police Department, articles on June 24, 25 and 27 misidentified a 4-year-old murder victim. Her name is Ja'Niya E. Williams.
The Sun regrets the errors.
"Prosecutors are reviewing the case to determine the next step," said Joseph Sviatko, a spokesman for the city state's attorney's office.
Hinton appeared briefly yesterday before District Judge Catherine Curran O'Malley wearing a double-layered white T-shirt, his hands cuffed behind his back.
Correctional officers escorted the teenager into the courtroom ahead of a larger group of suspects. While seated, Hinton bowed his head and sometimes winced.
The teenager spoke quietly with attorney Nedra Wise of the public defender's office, who then met with prosecutors and O'Malley in a private conference at the bench. About five minutes later, the judge ordered him held and recommended that he be given a psychological evaluation.
Asked if he understood the ruling, Hinton nodded slightly and said only, "Aight."
Wise would not comment on the case.
Col. Fred H. Bealefeld III, chief of detectives, said Thursday the attack took place at an apartment in the 2900 block of Goodwood Road. He described the location as the "house of another caretaker."
It was Hinton, police said, who called 911 to report that his cousin had been injured. He told police that she was bouncing on the bed and fell, and that he found her lying face down on a bedroom floor bleeding from the mouth and nose.
But according to charging documents filed in court, police believed that the severity of the girl's injuries could not have been caused by an accident.
The medical examiner "advised that these injuries were not consistent with falling off a bed onto the floor," the court records say.
The documents say that Janiya had been bitten on her chest and thigh, sexually assaulted, chased downstairs and beaten with a black belt. Police said she suffered a subdural hematoma and displayed little brain activity when brought to the hospital Wednesday afternoon.
