Father of three-year-old girl who died in burning car charged with her murder

Yesterday, police in New York City arrested the father of a three-year-old girl who died in a burning car and charged that man with his toddler daughter’s murder.  In addition to murder, that father, Martin Pereira, 39, has also been charged with arson and reckless endangerment.  His daughter’s name was Zoey Pereira, according to WTKR.

Zoey died on May 5 after firefighters were called to the scene of a burning car parked in a residential section of Springfield Gardens in Queens.  Those first responders found Zoey still alive inside that fiery Audi sedan.  ABC News in New York reported that Zoey was in the back seat of the car and that the car’s doors were locked. 

A source from inside the NYPD said that “large, heavy chains were used to secure the doors inside the car during the fire,” according to a report from CNN.

Firefighters managed to extricate the little girl from the burning vehicle. Tragically though, Zoey died from her injuries a short time later at Queens’ Jamaica Hospital.

Police arrested the father, who they found a short distance away from the scene. Law enforcement officials said that Pereira had suffered burns to approximately 70% of his body and that he couldn’t make any official statements to officers due to the seriousness of his injuries.  Although in serious condition, Pereira was stable.

Authorities say he exited the car and ran to nearby Baisley Pond Park, where he jumped into a pond to extinguish the flames.  ~ per ABC7

CNN reported that officials could not say what kind of condition Zoey was in before they found her in that burning car.  Police said they’re waiting for an official cause of death to be determined by the New York City medical examiner.

At least one propane tank and two gasoline cans were found in the trunk of the car, two sources said. The father and the child’s mother were in the midst of a custody battle, according to one source, and both had filed domestic incident reports against the other.  ~ per CNN

~ Written by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Connect with Richard on Facebook and Twitter

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