Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today that Travis Hartsfield, Jr., 25, of Newark has been indicted for the murder of his 20-month old daughter, Asiyah Hartsfield.
It is alleged that on March 15, 2011, while caring for his daughter, the father repeatedly punched the child in the head and the torso, causing her death. The official cause of death was blunt force trauma. The father is also charged with one count of endangering the welfare of the child.
The defendant is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges in the indictment on Nov. 15 before the Honorable Peter J. Vazquez, J.S.C. Hartsfield remains incarcerated. Bail is set at $750,000.
These are accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they either plead guilty or are found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
