Hawthorne mom, boyfriend convicted of 7-year-old daughter's torture murder

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Mother, boyfriend charged in death of 7-year-old daughter

A Hawthorne mother and her boyfriend are facing child abuse and murder charges in connection with the death of her 7-year-old daughter.

HAWTHORNE, Calif. - A jury has convicted Ida Helen Brockman and her boyfriend, Malachi Xavier Whalen, of the torture and murder of Brockman’s 7-year-old daughter, A’Miya D., in September 2021 at their Hawthorne residence, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

What we know:

Ida Helen Brockman, 34, and Malachi Xavier Whalen, 33, were found guilty on Wednesday of one count each of murder, with the jury also finding true the special circumstance of intentional torture-murder for each defendant. 

Additionally, both were convicted of one count of torture. 

Brockman was found guilty of child abuse causing death, and Whalen was convicted of assault on a child causing death.

On September 9, 2021, A’Miya was subjected to brutal torture, beatings, and ultimately killed by Brockman and Whalen. The couple initially attempted to frame A’Miya’s biological father for the murder, though Brockman later admitted to this plan.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Hawthorne mother, boyfriend arrested in connection with death of 7-year-old daughter

According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, A’Miya suffered over 58 individual injuries from physical torture. 

These included severe burns, blunt force trauma, multiple fractured ribs, a collapsed lung, and other significant internal injuries.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Mother, boyfriend arrested following death of 7-year-old girl

A Hawthorne mother and her boyfriend are facing child abuse and murder charges in connection with the death of her 7-year-old daughter.

What they're saying:

District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman commented on the case, stating, "This was a case that shook us all to our core. The brutal murder of A’Miya, a defenseless 7-year-old girl, at the hands of her own mother and her mother’s boyfriend is nothing short of horrific. We are grateful that the jury returned a guilty verdict and held both defendants accountable for their cruelty."

Hochman also acknowledged the efforts of the prosecution team: "I want to acknowledge the hard and tireless work of Deputy District Attorneys David Zygielbaum and Kelly Kraetsch, LASD Homicide Detectives Matthew Landreth and Frank Heredia, and the rest of the Family Violence Division's prosecutorial team, as they sought justice for A’Miya. Our office will continue to fight for the most vulnerable among us and do everything within our power to prevent such senseless acts of violence."

What's next:

Sentencing for Brockman and Whalen is scheduled for September 12.