Tulsa Police Investigating Abuse Of Baby As Homicide

<p>A baby, who’s been on life support after police say she was shaken, died on her first birthday.</p>

Thursday, December 3rd 2015, 5:59 pm

By: News On 6

Tulsa Police Investigating Abuse Of Baby As Homicide

A baby, who’s been on life support after police say she was shaken, died on her first birthday.

According to Tulsa police, Nevaeh Brookens-Roldan was pronounced brain dead at 3:04 p.m. Thursday. The family said they had to take her completely off life support hours later.

The child’s mother, 21-year-old Hallelujah Brookens, and her boyfriend, 25-year-old Nathaniel Watkins, were arrested Tuesday - Brookens for permitting child abuse and Watkins for child abuse.

Police said a child abuse murder charge will be added to Watkins.

An affidavit says Watkins told police Nevaeh wouldn’t stop crying so he shook her really hard for a couple of minutes, then, her body went limp and she stopped crying.

It says he put her in a cold bath then poured water over her face, mouth and nose to revive her.

The affidavit says she didn’t wake up and Watkins thought she drowned, so he dressed her, shook her again, dropped her into the crib and went to the neighbors for help as she lay, gasping for breath.

Officers report they found Neveah with two black eyes and contusions to her back, inner thigh and neck. She was unresponsive, and in cardiac arrest.

Police said Brookens blamed herself for the abuse, saying she never should have brought Watkins into her home or left the baby in his care.
Police said the baby's mother was not home at the time of the incident.