Man Sentenced to Life for Murdering Girlfriend's 18-Month-Old Daughter

A Bristol man was sentenced to life in prison after he pleaded guilty to murder in the death of an 18-month-old Bensalem girl, according to reports.

Adrian Allen, 28, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and child endangerment in the death of his girlfriend's daughter, Barbara Camille Adams of Bensalem, ABC6 and Phillyburbs reported. Allen also pleaded no contest to first-degree murder in the child's death and was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole, according to a Phillyburbs article.

The child's mother, Nakia Adams was in the courtroom, according to the article, when Allen looked at her and said, "I truly am sorry from the bottom of my heart... I hope what happens today brings you some kind of closure, brings some kind of peace."

Patch reported back in March that Allen had been babysitting Adams and her two sisters at the Creekside Apartment complex on the 2500 block of Knights Road in Bensalem on the weekend of February 24 to 26 when she sustained severe head trauma. The mother was out of town when the incident occurred.

Allen originally said that Barbara Adams was inured when chairs fell on her while he was babysitting, the Phillyburbs article said. Later he said that he "snapped" when changing her diaper and admitted to kicking her in the head while he was wearing heavy boots. 

After the fatal trauma occurred, Allen left Adams on the floor having seizures for several hours before calling her mother, Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler said during a press conference in March. Allen called his girlfriend on Feb. 26 and said that her daughter was sick and vomiting.

When Nakia Adams returned home that day she found her daughter unresponsive in her crib and took her to St. Mary Medical Center. The child was then flown to St. Christopher’s Hospital.

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During the March press conference, Heckler said the 18-month-old had broken ribs, a broken arm and leg, cigarette lighter burns, a bite mark on her arm and bruising all over her body, according to an autopsy conducted by forensic pathologist Ian Hood. Hood said the cause of death was the head injury and the manner of death was homicide.

Heckler added that the child was abused for "weeks if not months" prior to this incident that led to the child's death.

In court on Jan. 29, prosecutor Matt Weintraub said that the child's mother missed obvious signs that her daughter was being abused, Phillyburbs reported.

Nakia Adams did not speak in court, and Weintraub told Phillyburbs that his office is still considering charges against her.