FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, October 23, 2015
Brooklyn Man Pleads Guilty to Beating 3-Year-Old Stepdaughter to Death
Defendant to be Sentenced to 15 Years to Life in Prison
Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson today announced that a Bushwick man pleaded guilty to the 2014 murder of his 3-year-old stepdaughter, Jeida Torres, who was fatally beaten, and to the assault of his 5-year-old stepson, Andrew Torres. The defendant is expected to be sentenced to 15 years to life in prison in exchange for his guilty plea.
District Attorney Thompson said, “Beating a helpless and innocent child to death is a heinous and unforgivable crime. This defendant deserves to spend many years in prison and today’s outcome ensures that he will, while sparing the victim’s loved ones the ordeal of a painful trial.”
The District Attorney identified the defendant as Kelsey Smith, 21, of 38 Cooper Street, in Bushwick, Brooklyn. The defendant pleaded guilty today to the top counts of second-degree murder and second-degree assault before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Neil Firetog. The judge set sentencing for November 6, 2015 and indicated he will sentence the defendant to 15 years to life in prison. The defendant waived his right to appeal as part of the plea.
The District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, on October 18, 2014, at approximately 3:50 p.m., at 38 Cooper Street, which is a homeless shelter in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn, the defendant called his wife, Kimberly Torres, who is the mother of Jeida and Andrew, and told her that he “[messed] up” and hit Jeida and that Jeida was not breathing. Kimberly Torres then called the police, who went to the shelter and found Jeida Torres unresponsive.
The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, Jeida Torres was taken to Wyckoff Heights Medical Center and was pronounced dead. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that the cause of death was blunt force trauma. Andrew Torres, who was punched by Smith, was treated and released.
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