The man charged with murder last week in what police officials called one of the worst cases of child abuse they have ever seen committed suicide Sunday morning in his jail cell.
Domingo Ferreira, 53, was discovered hanging in his cell at the Curran-Frumhold Correctional Facility around 3:10 a.m., according to jail officials.
Guards on their routine tour noticed Ferreira lying on his bunk with a torn bed sheet tied to the upper bunk. CPR was administered and medical staff responded, but Ferreira was declared dead.
Ferreira, who was admitted to the jail on Friday, was being kept alone in a cell in the housing intake unit because of the notoriety of his case. He also was given a mental evaluation when he arrived and was judged not to be suicidal.
Ferreira and his wife, Margarita Garabito, 43, both were charged this week after the death on Wednesday of Ferreira's 10-year-old daughter, Charleeni Ferreira. Garabito is the girl's stepmother.
Charleeni had numerous old and fresh wounds and she had been sexually assaulted. She died from an infection stemming from untreated broken ribs. She also had a fractured hip that caused the fifth grader to limp.
Police described her life at her Feltonville home as an "ongoing torture" at the hands of her father and stepmother.
Investigators are awaiting DNA test results before lodging any charges for the sexual abuse they say Charleeni suffered.
Garabito is being housed at the Riverside Correctional Facility. She has been informed of her husband's death and she is under observation, jail officials said.
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOST POPULAR PHILLY.COM PHOTOS
NEWS
Philly.com Promotions
