Former Texans running back Cierre Wood is now facing murder charges in connection to the horrific death of his girlfriend’s 5-year-old daughter.
According to KTNV, Wood admitted to using exercise to discipline the young child, La’Raya Davis, after moving his girlfriend Amy Taylor and the child in with him six months into dating.
KSNV initially reported that little La’Raya died of multiple blunt force injuries, per a ruling by the Clark County Coroner’s office.
Taylor, 26, the child’s mother, is also facing murder charges in the case. Both Taylor and Wood are also facing child abuse charges.
According to police, Wood was forcing the young child to exercise at home because he thought the little girl was overweight.
Wood would “make her run sprints in the apartment, do sit-ups and wall squats.”
The former NFL player told police that he was “trying to get her on the right path due to her being chunky.”
La’Raya died on April 9. That morning, Taylor and the child were reportedly walking to a nearby school when La’Raya supposedly threw a tantrum. Taylor told police that La’Raya bit her on the hand, and so she “popped” the child on her bottom and made her stand in a corner once they got home.
When Wood came home, Taylor then left the home to pick up another child at school and run errands. Taylor claims Wood called her telling her “something is not okay,” sending her a picture of La’Raya’s face. Taylor called 911.
When emergency responders arrived at the home, they found La’Raya cold and stiff. She was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Hospital workers detailed several injuries on the little girl, including bruises on her back, buttocks, legs, abdomen, chest and arms. La’Raya also had an elevated white blood cell count, a distended abdomen, and blood in her underwear.
The report notes that Taylor told police that La’Raya fell a few days earlier while at the park. However, Taylor also admitted to sitting on the child’s chest and stomach to punish her. La’Raya, she said, complained about pain in her chest following the incident.
On the day La’Raya died, Wood admitted to forcing the child to do sit-ups and to run. Wood claimed La’Raya fell back and hit her head while exercising.
Both Taylor and Wood are being held in Clark County Detention Center.