An autopsy concluded that the child had been beaten to death and had multiple bone fractures. Griner insisted that she left the injured child alone and alive on a Bridgeton street in his stroller in hopes that someone would find him and help. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Nakira Griner, 28, refused a plea deal in October 2021 that would have seen her plead guilty to killing Daniel Griner Jr. in exchange for 30 years in prison, as CrimeOnline previously reported.Instead, she opted to go to trial, and after a two-week proceeding, the jury returned . Nakira Griner, of Bridgeton, appears before Judge Robert Malestein in Cumberland County Superior Court for a post-indictment arraignment , Monday, Oct. 7, 2019. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. At the time of the incident, neighbors told CBS Philadelphia they were stunned. When they see the photos of the remains, its going to look so horrible that they may be so prejudiced against her that they wont be able to see that theres really no definitive cause of death, Cohen said. During those interviews, which were played in court as part of suppression motion hearings, Griner described Daniel falling down the flight of stairs. Griner was previously represented by a public defender, but private counsel took the case last year. NBC Philadelphia reported that Nakira Griners attorney claimed she couldnt attend Tuesdays court hearing as it would be detrimentalto her health. Booking Date: 10/7/2021. Today I'll be discussing the case of Nakira Griner and her toddler son Daniel Griner Jr. We'll be discussing her son's "abduction", the denied an. After claiming an abduction, Griner later told police that the child accidentally fell down a flight of stairs in the family home, authorities said. Bridgeton, NJ woman faces trial for young son's murder in 2019 Bridgeton, NJ woman faces trial for young son's murder in 2019 Associated Press Published: October 10, 2021 Nakira Griner is. A woman accused of having killed her toddler son almost four years ago and telling police he had been kidnapped before his remains were found buried in the yard of her New Jersey home has been convicted of murder and other charges. Parvin cautioned that some of the evidence jurors will see could be difficult to view, but stressed that what will be shown is necessary for the state to prove its case. On February 8, 2019, Griner told police she had been attacked on the street and her 23-month-old son Daniel Griner Jr. had been abducted. The dispatcher then called back and Griner told the story about being attacked. A 28-year-old Bridgeton woman was sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing her toddler. An autopsy concluded that the child had been beaten to death and had multiple bone fractures. killing her 23-month-old son and then telling police he had been kidnapped before his remains were found buried in the yard of her New Jersey home. Prosecutors allege that she said in phone calls from jail which are to be presented at trial that she did what she did to him to cover up bruising on his body. The new defense motion will be considered during a Feb. 25 hearing. I came up with the elaborate story because Daniel had bruises on him prior to the fall from being smacked because he wasnt eating his food and he was telling me what he would and wouldnt do, she says. Published: Jan. 28, 2021, 8:17 a.m. Nakira Griner, of Bridgeton, appears before Judge Robert Malestein in Cumberland County Superior Court for a post-indictment arraignment , Monday, Oct. 7,. All rights reserved (About Us). Nakira Griner, 28, was convicted on charges of first degree murder, desecration of remains, evidence-tampering, and false public alarm in the February 2019 death of 23-month-old Daniel Griner Jr., , A New Jersey mother was found guilty on Wednesday of killing, dismembering, and burning her 23-month-old son in 2019. Nakira M. Griner, 24, reported the boy missing to police around 6:30 p.m. on Friday, claiming that he had been abducted in their small town of Bridgeton. Our journalism needs your support. N.J. She then failed a polygraph test, leading police to search the familys Woodland Drive home. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). Nakira Griner, a New Jersey woman charged with killing her 23-month-old son Daniel and then burning and dismembering his remains, said she hit him "because he would not eat nor listen to her . Earlier this year, Jill Cohen, an attorney for Griner, filed a motion stating that her client admits to destroying Daniels remains but that the defendant did not knowingly and purposefully cause his death, NJ.com also reported. The crime took place in 2019. Cohen told jurors not to draw a negative inference if she doesnt take the stand in her own defense, noting she has a right to remain silent. Youre supposed to put all your emotions, all your biases away when you go into that jury room at the end and deliberate., A peaceful protest is held outside the Cumberland County Superior Courthouse following the detention hearing of Nakira Griner, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia newsletters. CrimeOnline previously reported that Griner called 911 at about 6:30 p.m. on February 8, 2019, and said she had been attacked while walking to the store with Daniel in a stroller and her infant child strapped to her chest. A small memorial is set up outside the Bridgeton home of 23-month-old Daniel Griner Jr. in this 2019 photo.Joe Warner | For NJ Advance Media. A woman accused of having killed her toddler son and telling police he had been kidnapped before his remains were found buried in the yard of her New Jersey home has rejected a plea offer and will face trial. The case has been dogged by delays since her arrest, including the coronavirus pandemic, which caused the judiciary to suspend criminal jury trials from March 2020 through June 2021. Letecia Stauch Murder Trial: Stepmoms Bizarre Phone Activity Revealed, Searched for Casey Anthony and Changing Appearance, Thrown over 100 yards: South Carolina Bride Dead, Groom in Critical Condition Moments After Leaving Wedding Reception, subscribe to the Crime Stories with Nancy Grace podcast. For the purposes of this motion, defendant does not deny that she destroyed the human remains but denies that she knowingly and purposefully caused the death of D.G. ET. Mom Who Reported Toddler Abducted Is Now Accused of Killing Him, Burying Body in Yard Nakira Griner faces first-degree murder and other charges for allegedly killing her 23-month-old son . Nakira Griner, 28, refused a plea deal in October 2021 that would have seen her plead guilty to killing Daniel Griner Jr. in exchange for 30 years in prison, as CrimeOnline previously reported. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. WNBA star Brittney Griner is truly enjoying her freedom. I love you: Chilling note found at murder scene after husband allegedly drives 500 miles to tell mom he shot and killed his wife, Prosecutors seek death penalty against plastic surgeon accused of murdering missing lawyer who represented former employer in suit, This was not a random act: Person of interest in custody after Detroit neurosurgeon found shot in head and wrapped in blanket, the Cumberland County Prosecutors Office said. The attorney also cast doubt on the qualifications of the forensic anthropologist who will testify in the case and said he and the medical examiner cannot state with absolute certainty that broken bones found in the investigation were caused by abuse prior to Daniels death. On Feb. 8, 2019, Griner called 911 several times, saying a man attacked her while she was pushing Daniel in his stroller on the way to a deli, according to a report from New Jersey news outlet The Daily Journal. In the motion filed this week, Cohen argues the evidence necessary for the state to prove murder is separate and apart from the evidence necessary to prove the destruction of the remains. According to the report, Senior County Assistant Prosecutor Elizabeth Vogelsong-Parvin summarized the states case against Griner, who was indicted in June 2019 on charges of first-degree murder, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, second-degree desecration of human remains, and fourth-degree tampering with evidence. The duo of Taurasi and Griner are a tandem often feared throughout the WNBA. "It's sad. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. She failed a polygraph test. According to KYW,Nakira Griner, 24, is accused of killing, dismembering, and burningDaniel Griner Jr., whose body was found under a shed at the familys home inBridgeton, a day after she reported his disappearance. You can find her guilty of all of those charges, but the one thing you cant find her guilty of, because theres not going to be enough evidence, is that she murdered Daniel Griner Jr.. Cohen argues that Griner wouldnt get a fair trial on the murder charge if the same jury heard the charges together. Cohen cautioned the jurors not to let emotions interfere with their judgment in this case, acknowledging they will see graphic images and hear troubling testimony, including phone calls Griner made explaining her actions. A mother indicted on a murder charge in the 2019 death of her young child doesnt deny she destroyed his remains, but didnt knowingly and purposefully cause his death, according to a new court filing. Nakira M. Griner, 24, of . PHOENIX Brittney Griner, the W.N.B.A. Attorney Jill Cohen is asking that the most serious charge against her client first-degree murder be tried separately from charges of desecrating human remains and tampering with evidence. Griners trial is currently scheduled to begin on Jan. 22, 2022 before Superior Court Judge George H. Gangloff Jr. Have a tip we should know? An. Griner was previously found guilty on Jan. 4 of several charges, including first degree murder, desecration of human remains, and endangering the welfare of a child. Nakira M. Griner, 27, initially told police that her son, Daniel Griner Jr, was abducted by an unknown assailant, but the toddlers body was , A New Jersey woman accused of fatally beating her 23-month-old son before dismembering and burning his body will remain jailed until trial after she failed to appear in court this week. Griners attorney, Jill Cohen, conceded that her client was guilty of burning and disposing of the childs remains, and lying to police about the abduction, but said the state has no credible evidence for the murder charge. Jurors convicted her in January for these charges, also second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, fourth-degree tampering with evidence, and second-degree false public alarm. Her attorney at the time argued that she was considered a suspect from the start and was also "going through a crisis and a clear mental break" and was in no position to voluntarily waive her rights.