New Jersey man accused of strangling his disabled daughter because she wet the bed
A 71-year-old man was charged with first-degree murder following the death of his 40-year-old daughter in New Jersey.
New Jersey authorities have charged a 71-year-old man in the death of his adult daughter in a case that remains under investigation.
The Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office reported that Dennis Hall faces a charge of first-degree murder in the death of 40-year-old Devin Hall.
According to official information, the man remains detained in a Salem County jail.
According to authorities and subsequent statements from relatives, the incident occurred on Thursday morning in a home located in Franklin Township.
Investigation began after call to emergency services
The victim's mother told local media that she was woken up by her husband during the early hours of the day.
According to his testimony, he told her that he had attacked his daughter.
The woman indicated that she initially thought she had misunderstood and subsequently tried to assist the victim by performing resuscitation maneuvers before transporting her to the hospital.
Prosecutors said the suspect called 911 to report that his daughter was not breathing.
According to the official statement, during that call and later before the agents, the man admitted to having strangled the victim.
Initially the case was prosecuted as attempted murder.
However, after the woman was removed from life support and her death was confirmed, authorities updated the file to the charge of murder.
Autopsy concluded that death was caused by asphyxiation
The autopsy performed later determined that the immediate cause of death was asphyxiation and classified the case as homicide, according to the prosecutor's office.
Relatives noted that Devin Hall was a non-verbal woman and a wheelchair user.
During subsequent interviews, the mother also discussed that her husband had received treatment for depression and was experiencing mental health difficulties over the past year.
However, so far the authorities have not announced whether these elements will have any procedural implications in the case.
In an obituary released by the family, Devin Hall was remembered as a person who faced multiple challenges during her life and who left a mark on those who knew her.
Authorities have not yet announced the date of the defendant's next court appearance.