Centennial – An Aurora woman suspected by police in the death of her 3-year-old daughter now faces charges of assault with a deadly weapon and sex assault on a child.
Susie Ida Quartey appeared in Arapahoe County court this morning to hear the charges against her. She remains in custody in connection with the death of her daughter, who police believe was beaten repeatedly with a towel rod and a clothes hanger.
Quartey has been charged with three counts: second-degree assault with a deadly weapon and sex assault on a child by a person in a position of trust, both felonies, and child abuse knowingly and recklessly causing injury, a misdemeanor.
Additional charges may be added later once results of an autopsy are available.
A bond hearing in the case is scheduled for Monday.
Quartey was arrested Saturday after her daughter’s death. Police said the girl, Jolyn Torpoh, was battered repeatedly with pieces of a metal towel rack and a coat hanger before she died.
Detectives who viewed autopsy photographs estimated that Jolyn suffered at least 50 blows, leaving puncture wounds and bruises along her legs, face and backside, according to an arrest affidavit obtained Monday.
Quartey’s attorney said she is innocent of accusations that she beat her child.
Quartey told police she was carrying Jolyn on her back, wrapped in traditional African cloths, when she and her daughter fell together onto rocks in the family’s backyard.
She was arrested Saturday after calling 911 from her home to report that Jolyn had stopped breathing.
The coroner has not yet determined a cause of death and is waiting for lab and toxicology results.
