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16-Month-Old Girl Dies Days After She Was Allegedly Beaten By Father In Brooklyn

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A 16-month-old Brooklyn girl has died after she was allegedly beaten by her father last weekend.

The Brooklyn District Attorney's office said it was seeking to upgrade charges against the father, Shaquan Taylor.

Nylah Lewis spent five days fighting for her life after the attack on Father's Day, but died Friday morning, according to Maimonides Medical Center.

"Nylah Lewis passed away at 10:40 a.m. today," the hospital said in a statement. "We at Maimonides Medical Center extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, who wish to have their privacy respected at this sad and difficult time."

Police sources said Nylah's own father assaulted her, leaving her with skull fractures, bleeding of the brain, and bruising so severe she's now in a coma.

The child was under the care of Taylor, 18, at the Coney Island, Brooklyn apartment where he lived during a legal visitation on Father's Day.

Police sources said after a few hours he contacted the child's 17-year-old mother, who lives nearby, and told her there was a serious problem and to come pick the child.

"She just said he said to get everything and just get out, that's it," Nylah's aunt, Janice Munford, said earlier this week. "I don't know if he was on something."

Munford adds there was no mention that Nylah was hurt or may need to go to the hospital. She says the mother noticed the little girl was having trouble breathing.

"She didn't look herself, she's good here, but from their point of view at the hospital, she doesn't look like this baby right here," Munford said.

As she tried to leave with the child, sources say Taylor chased after her and hit her in the face.

He was arrested at the scene. Taylor denied hurting the child and claimed she was accidentally injured when she fell off the bed and off a toilet seat, according to police sources.

Taylor was charged with assault on a child. The Brooklyn District Attorney's office said Friday evening it plans to upgrade the charges in a grand jury.

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