SUNBURY, Pa. — It took jurors in Northumberland County an hour and 15 minutes to find Jahrid Burgess guilty of the most series charges including third-degree murder in the beating death of his girlfriend's daughter, Arabella Parker.
Troopers say Burgess brutally beat 3-year-old Arabella Parker at her home in Treverton in October of 2019.
Over the course of the trial, that girlfriend, Samantha Delcamp, testified against him; she said Burgess had a history of abusing her and Arabella.
Delcamp said her daughter had a seizure for more than half an hour before Burgess called 911.
Before the defense rested its case-Burgess took the stand in his defense, admitting to assaulting Arabella, claiming it was for discipline saying, "I smacked her but not hard or excessive. Maybe five times."
On the day the 3-year-old went to the hospital in 2019, Burgess said he grabbed Arabella by the shoulders when she was not eating.
He admitted throwing her onto a piece of children's furniture but said, quote, "I didn't forcibly throw her to hurt her. But I should have walked her the extra couple of steps to put her on the couch."
Burgess argued with the district attorney, saying he did not cause bruises on the child's body.
He believes those bruises came from EMS and doctors during surgery.
He told the jury, "I didn't plan for her to die. I hope she forgives me."
Burgess was taken back to jail after the guilty verdict.
He is expected to be sentenced within 90 days.
Samantha Delcamp, Arabella's mother, is also charged with homicide and is awaiting trial.
Burgess' mother Christy Willis was also charged in this case.
In April she was found guilty for lying to investigators about the abuse and was sentenced to up to 17 years in prison.
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