Former NFL player charged with murder of girlfriend's 5-year-old daughter forced her to work out as he felt she was "chunky"
A former NFL running back who allegedly murdered his girlfriend's five-year-old daughter reportedly forced her to lose weight as he thought she was "chunky."
Former Notre Dame player Cierre Wood, who had short stints with five big league NFL teams, has been charged in the killing of La’Rayah Davis, which took place on April 9, People reports.
Initially, Wood was arrested along with his girlfriend Amy Taylor and charged with child abuse and neglect after the unresponsive youngster was rushed to a Las Vegas hospital and found to have bruises on her legs, torso, and abdomen.
The athlete was charged with La'Rayah's murder after she succumbed to her injuries.
According to an arrest report, Wood allegedly forced La’Rayah, before her death, to work out as he thought she was overweight. He would allegedly make the child “run sprints in the apartment, do sit-ups and wall squats" and told police he was “trying to get her on the right path due to her being chunky.”
Speaking to authorities, Taylor said she was out grocery shopping while Wood was with La'Rayah on the day of her death. Meanwhile, Wood claimed the girl was doing sit-ups and fell backward before hitting her head on the carpet.
Nonetheless, the true extent of the alleged abuse was revealed by an autopsy conducted by the Clark County Coroner.
According to KSNV, La'Rayah was found to have fractured ribs, “multiple skull contusions,” and a large liver laceration believed to be “the probable cause of her demise."
From 2009 to 2012, Wood played for Notre Dame before entering the draft in 2013 but failed to get picked up. He subsequently played three games for the Houston Texans as a free agent. Wood ended his NFL career after short stints with New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Seattle Seahawks, and Buffalo Bills.
As of now, he is currently a free agent in the Canadian football league, per Las Vegas TV station KLAS.
On the other hand, 25-year-old Taylor is facing one charge of child abuse and neglect after allegations that she would sit on her daughter's chest to discipline her.
“She had so many people she touched and she was only 5,” La’Rayah’s biological father Danuan Davis told the court on Thursday, KSNV reports. “That’s the most tragic thing. I can’t call her. I just talked to her that Monday before. Dad, I’ll see you in two weeks. The next day I get a call that she’s gone.”
That said, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help the devastated father with funeral and related expenses.
Any suspicions of child abuse can be reported to Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org.