4-Year-Old Girl Dies Of Blunt Force Trauma, NJ Dad And Girlfriend Indicted

PASSAIC COUNTY, NJ — A Passaic County father and his girlfriend have been charged for their involvement in the death of his four-year-old daughter, according to the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office.

Givenchy Stewart, 21, of Paterson, the girl’s father, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and hindering apprehension.

Ashanti Givens, also 21 from Paterson, and Stewart’s girlfriend, was charged with first-degree murder, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and hindering apprehension.

On May 6, just before 9 p.m., Paterson Police responded to a call regarding an unresponsive child at an apartment near Pearl and Carroll streets.

Authorities found the child and rushed her to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead later that night.

An investigation found that Givens and Stewart had left the apartment for “significant periods of time” on May 5 and May 6, police said. The two were initially charged with endangering the welfare of a child and hindering apprehension.

An autopsy of the four-year-old girl revealed the cause of death to be blunt force trauma, with the manner of death being homicide.

Further investigation revealed that Givens was directly responsible for the killing of the girl, resulting in the homicide charge and an additional endangering the welfare of a child charge, officials said.

The two were indicted by a grand jury on Aug. 6, formally charging the couple for their roles in the killing.

If convicted, Givens faces a maximum of life in prison. Stewart faces up to 15 years if convicted of his charges.