PD: 3-year-old beaten for not eating hot dog

PHOENIX - A Phoenix man faces a murder charge after he allegedly beat a 3-year-old child for not eating a hot dog.

According to court documents, Corey Daniels, 22, admitted to police he hit the little girl with a closed fist and a belt because "she was back talking and not eating."

Phoenix police Sgt. Tommy Thompson said the girl died Saturday morning from her injuries.

On Thursday, police were called to a home near 48th Street and Warner Road by fire paramedics who, after responding to a call of a child choking, noticed the girl was covered in bruises "from head to toe."

The victim was transported to a Valley hospital where it was determined she had "pattern injuries on her back, multiple skull fractures, bleeding and swelling in the brain, retenal hemmorages, and bruises in her vaginal area," according to the documents.

Daniels reportedly admitted to punching the girl at least five times in the chest, four times in each arm with a closed fist and three to four times in each leg.

According to the documents, Daniels also admitted to hitting the girl at least 20 times with a black belt from which some of the rivets popped off, hitting her with an open hand in the mouth and nose area, and claimed the girl's head struck the bottom drawer of the dresser and floor several times, possibly causing the skull fractures.

Daniels reportedly told police that about two or three weeks ago he punished the girl for wetting herself by biting her on the buttocks.

Investigators found a black belt at the apartment with markings that matched the marks on the little girl, according to the documents.

Daniels was booked into jail on four counts of child abuse. The murder charge was added after the girl died.

He is being held on a $850,000 bond.