girl was bruised with signs she was sexually violated. i was shocked. especially with somebody i know. she just doesn t want to trust anybody anymore. reporter: cara knows both the baby s mother and gifford. i never would have thought he would do something like that. he seemed like a normal boy. he had some problems with the law and all that. but i wouldn t think that he would do something to a child. reporter: the abuse charges have touched off a ward of wards and custody battle between the baby s mother and father. both sides spoke to wjz today. reporter: the child s stepgrandfather who has custody now calls the crime heinous, but he says the child s mother loves her baby and has always done an excellent job raising her. reporter: the father s relatives claim the terrifying abuse police say went on inside this home was preventable. his sister tells me they will fight to keep the baby. reporter: she says gifford s criminal background concerned her, that she had
across the region. and again very chilly in spots. look at manassas, 34 to start your day. 35 in martinsberg. 36 in frederick. just 39 in gaithersburg. we re 46 in town. even leonardtown getting in on the cold. 36 for you. cool start and cold spots and after a couple of hours we ll let the sunshine warm up the atmosphere and we ll be back into the middle 60s later this afternoon. if you like sunshine, you ll love today. much less cloud cover than yesterday in the forecast as you can see clear skies across the mid-atlantic. should be a quiet one today. a nice looking day tomorrow as we ll have a nice couple of days to start our workweek. here is your forecast. i ll have more details coming up in a few minutes. after morning cold temperatures, sunny skies and warmer. highs in the mid-60s. winds will be lighter than yesterday as well out of the north and west at 5-10 miles per hour. more details on the forecast coming up. but let s get to julie wright with your fox 5 on-time tra
sunshine. details in my skywatch forecast. live in high-definition, from wbff tv in baltimore, this is fox 45 news at 10:00. hello. i m jeff barnd. a father is charged with murder and child abuse after allegedly beating his two-year old daughter to death. melinda roeder live tonight with more on this tragedy tonight. melinda, what can you tell us at this hour? reporter: well, two-year old melody jefferson died late last night. there were severe wounds all over her tiny body from being beaten with a belt and her father confessed to hitting her as discipline because she wouldn t listen. she can barely believe what s happened to her daughter. you know how you see stuff on the news and you see situations like this on the news? you would say it would never happen to me. reporter: two-year old melody was at her father s house in east baltimore, where he claims he walked in to the bathroom and found her unconscious. as we was coming in the house he told her to grab her c
faces charges of molesting a 9-year-old girl and police believe there could very well be other victims involved. keith live in parkville where the suspect had contact with several children. keith very disturbing story tonight. it is. we are live at the catholic church on harbor road where the suspect worked as a volunteer soccer coach. now his name is alexander sims and accused of molesting 9-year-old girl. police say it happened in the summer of 2009 at the man s home when the girl visited to play video games with one of sims children. avenues volunteer coach at the church and volunteered with two church affiliated cub scout troops so tonight police fear there could be more victims. let the kids know because they are going to hear about this and they are going to hear that he was arrested. simply convey the facts of this case that a young lady was in appropriately touched by him and inquire of their kids if they were ever alone no. 1 with him and if they were alone with
drugs. he was very athletic. i would see him all the time playing soccer. reporter: police say the two victims, brandon carol who died from his injuries and ellis hartridge who is expected to be okay showed up at hall s off campus home around four sunday morning. the two confronted him about allegations he assaulted a female at a party earlier in the evening. hall pulled out a shot gun and shot them both in the stomach. a vigil was held for the victim at his high school. we are all hurting as a family and community. just need to keep praying. reporter: investigators say the three men knew each other. hall was inside his home. they found the gun, shot gun shells and other evidence. hall s parents taught him to be well grounded. veteran, coast guard. disciplined. that s why it s out of character his parents are good people and raised them well. reporter: he is being held without bond on first degree murder and attempted murder. police are urged to contact the counseli