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Funeral Held For Pittsburgh Infant Killed At Day Care

10-Month-Old Girl A Homicide Victim, Medical Examiner Says

POSTED: 9:18 am EDT June 10, 2008
UPDATED: 5:58 pm EDT June 11, 2008

An infant girl allegedly killed by a 7-year-old at an in-home day care in Pittsburgh is being laid to rest.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office ruled that the death of 10-month-old Marcia Poston on Friday in the Garfield section of the city was a homicide.

Marcia's funeral was held on Wednesday at the Mount Ararat Baptist Church on Paulson Avenue in Pittsburgh's Larimer section.

"Just an innocent child," said Marcia's relative, Harriet Poston Hicks. "It's just baffling. It's hurting to see such a young child's life gone already."

A portion of Marcia's obituary read, "She was a beautiful baby that brought new life in to her family. Her little heartbeat will be missed. Her sweet smile will also be missed."

The 7-year-old girl who police said killed Marcia at a private Pittsburgh day care center will face a closed family court hearing. The confidential hearing will determine whether the child can be removed from her home and ordered to have counseling.

"I just want answers," said Marcia's mother, Rhonda Moore. "It's kind of irrelevant. Nothing's going to bring her back. I just want someone to take responsibility for this."

Pittsburgh police said the 7-year-old told them she twice threw the infant onto a carpeted concrete floor at Bray's Family Day Care on Dearborn Street, but county prosecutors said that is inconsistent with the baby's badly bruised body.

Moore said she agrees. She said her daughter had a fractured skull, broken arm and two black eyes.

Police said the 7-year-old has anger management issues and is seeing a psychiatrist.

A 20-year-old caregiver, Ashley Swann, who was supervising five children in the day care, was upstairs changing another child's diaper when the attack occurred, police said.

Moore said her daughter had been going to the family day care for about eight months. Moore said she trusted the owner, Loretta Bray, and Swann.

Moore described her daughter as "always happy and always smiling." She said Marcia had started to learn to walk, and was learning how to say "Mom."

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