Natiela Barros is accused of beating her stepdaughter Sayra Barros, 8, to death with a rolling pin on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, at their home in Bethlehem, Georgia. The girl’s father, Cledir Barros, inset, also is facing charges for allowing his wife to be with his daughter unsupervised despite knowing she was abusive to the girl, authorities said. (WAGA/YouTube)
A woman allegedly beat her 8-year-old stepdaughter to death at a home in Georgia, hitting her 10 to 20 times with a wooden rolling pin in the neck area. The girl’s father is accused of leaving her alone with the stepdaughter despite knowing of the abuse. Both are now facing murder charges.
The Gwinnett County Police Department said in a press release that officers responded to medical call at a home in the 300 block of Vine Springs around 2:15 p.m. Tuesday.
Officers said the stepmother, 34-year-old Natiela Barros, had been alone with the girl when she became unresponsive. Barros called the girl’s father who came to the home and started CPR before calling 911, according to authorities. After officers arrived, paramedics pronounced the girl dead on scene. Homicide detectives were called into investigate “given the circumstances” of the death. They interviewed the adults at the home.
Cops arrested Barros Wednesday on charges of murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and first-degree cruelty to children, court records show. Citing an arrest affidavit, Fox affiliate WAGA reported Barros beat the girl “with a wooden rolling pen 10 to 20 times, refusing to get her medical care afterwards.” The affidavit said Barros was angry and hit the girl in several areas including the neck.
Before his arrest the father, Cledir Barros, 37, gave an interview to local ABC affiliate WSB.
“I can’t even put into words, you know, something that came upon her, she just lost control went above and beyond. I don’t know,” he said.
On Thursday, police arrested Cledir Barros on second-degree murder and cruelty to children, court records show. WSB reported a warrant accuses Cledir Barros of knowing his wife was abusing his daughter but allowed her to watch the girl unsupervised. The warrant identified the girl as Sayra Barros.
Natiela and Cledir Barros are at the Gwinnett County Jail without bond.
One neighbor said she never saw any violence at the Barros home.
“Shocked, completely shocked,” she told WAGA.
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