Re: ZARA MALANI-LIN ABDUR-RAHEEM - Aged 3 months - New Jersey (USA)

**Twiglet** Tue May 04, 2010 10:50 pm

Press of Atlantic City

3 May 2010

DNA tests confirm infant's body is that of Zara Malani-Lin Abdur -Raheem, daughter of accused Galloway Township man

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/article_e44d6a86-56e1-11df-b1b0-001cc4c03286.html

**Twiglet** Tue May 04, 2010 10:51 pm

The Associated Press

3 May 2010

NJ officials: Body on riverbank was abducted baby‎

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ixCbTefcwbia2ApD7CcJu6ww-VpgD9FFHGLG1

**Twiglet** Tue May 04, 2010 10:52 pm

WCBS-TV New York

3 May 2010

Infant Found On River Bank ID'd As Abducted Child‎

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/shamsiddi.abdur.raheem.2.1671823.html

**Twiglet** Tue May 04, 2010 10:53 pm

The Star-Ledger - NJ

3 May 2010

DNA tests confirm identity of infant's body found after being thrown from N.J. bridge

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/05/dna_tests_confirm_identity_3-m.html

**Twiglet** Tue May 04, 2010 10:55 pm

My Central Jersey

3 May 2010

Body confirmed through DNA as infant thrown from Driscoll Bridge‎

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100503/NEWS/100503047/-1/newsfront/Body-confirmed-through-DNA-as-infant-thrown-from-Driscoll-Bridge

**Twiglet** Tue May 04, 2010 10:57 pm

NBC Philadelphia

3 May 2010

DNA Proves Infant Found by River Is Baby Zara‎
DNA testing confirms that the infant found by the Raritan River is baby Zara

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local-beat/DNA-Proves-Infant-Found-by-River-Is-Baby-Zara-92696499.html

**Twiglet** Tue May 04, 2010 10:58 pm

Pottstown Mercury

3 May 2010

Body confirmed as that of baby thrown from NJ bridge‎

http://www.pottstownmercury.com/articles/2010/05/03/news/doc4bdf2978c51dc174081726.txt

**Twiglet** Tue May 04, 2010 10:59 pm

My Fox NY

3 May 2010

Body Identified as Abducted NJ Child‎

http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/local_news/new_jersey/body-identified-as-abducted-nj-child-20100503-apx

**Twiglet** Tue May 04, 2010 10:59 pm

Philly Burbs

3 May 2010

NJ officials: Body on riverbank was abducted baby‎

http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/news_details/article/92/2010/may/04/nj-officials-body-on-riverbank-was-abducted-baby-1.html

**Twiglet** Tue May 04, 2010 11:01 pm

Philadelphia Inquirer

4 May 2010

DNA tests confirm ID of baby found along Raritan River

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20100504_DNA_tests_confirm_ID_of_baby_found_along_Raritan_River.html

**Twiglet** Tue May 04, 2010 11:05 pm

RIP Baby Zara

ZARA MALANI-LIN ABDUR-RAHEEM - Aged 3 months - New Jersey (USA) - Page 4 Candle26

ZARA MALANI-LIN ABDUR-RAHEEM - Aged 3 months - New Jersey (USA) - Page 4 Zmlar10

**Twiglet** Wed May 05, 2010 10:09 am

The News Journal

4 May 2010

Body found on NJ riverbank was abducted baby‎

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20100504/NEWS/100504019/Body+found+on+N.J.+riverbank+was+abducted+baby

**Twiglet** Mon May 10, 2010 9:32 am

Local Talk News

8 May 2010

DNA Tests Confirm Identity of Infant Found on Bank of Raritan River‎

http://localtalknews.com/law-a-order/county/326-zara-malani-lin-abdur-raheem-shamsiddin-abdur-raheem-infant-raritan-river-driscoll-bridge

**Twiglet** Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:00 am

The Associated Press

17 August 2010

NJ dad indicted in death of baby thrown off bridge‎

NEWARK, N.J. — A New Jersey father was indicted Monday on kidnapping and murder charges for allegedly throwing his infant daughter off a bridge and into a river in February.

Shamsid-Din Abdur-Raheem faces six counts related to the abduction and death of his 3-month-old daughter, Zara Malani-Lin Abdur-Raheem, whose body was found near the Raritan River in April.

The 22-year-old Galloway Township man also faces attempted murder charges for allegedly assaulting the baby's maternal grandmother, who was caring for the infant while the child's mother was obtaining a restraining order against Abdur-Raheem.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ixCbTefcwbia2ApD7CcJu6ww-VpgD9HKPN680

**Twiglet** Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:01 am

Philadelphia Inquirer

17 August 2010

Man charged with throwing infant daughter to her death‎

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/nj/20100817_Man_charged_with_throwing_infant_daughter_to_her_death.html

**Twiglet** Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:04 am

My Central Jersey

17 August 2010

UPDATE: Man indicted for throwing baby off Driscoll Bridge to be tried in Middlesex County

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100816/NEWS/100816058/UPDATE-Man-indicted-for-throwing-baby-off-Driscoll-Bridge-to-be-tried-in-Middlesex-County

**Twiglet** Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:05 am

Press of Atlantic City

16 August 2010

Police say grandmother was assaulted twice trying to stop Galloway man from taking baby who was thrown off bridge

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/communities/absecon_galloway_port-republic/article_0ac1d458-a963-11df-9158-001cc4c002e0.html

**Twiglet** Thu Aug 19, 2010 1:07 am

Cherry Hill Courier Post

17 August 2010

Dad indicted in throwing baby off bridge; suspect arrested in Winslow‎

http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20100817/NEWS01/8170341/Dad-indicted-in-throwing-baby-off-bridge-suspect-arrested-in-Winslow

**Twiglet** Wed Aug 25, 2010 9:13 pm

Shore News Today

18 August 2010

Murder charges for Galloway man accused of throwing infant daughter off bridge

http://www.shorenewstoday.com/index.php/galloway-twp/galloway-twp-general-news/3497-murder-charges-for-galloway-man-accused-of-throwing-infant-daughter-off-bridge.html

**Twiglet** Wed Sep 15, 2010 6:43 am

The Star-Ledger - NJ

14 September 2010

NJ man charged with throwing his baby off bridge pleads not guilty‎

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/09/nj_man_charged_with_throwing_h.html

**Twiglet** Wed Sep 15, 2010 6:44 am

My Central Jersey

14 September 2010

Dad accused of throwing baby off Driscoll Bridge pleads not guilty‎

http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20100914/NEWS/100914005/UPDATE-Dad-accused-of-throwing-baby-off-Driscoll-Bridge-pleads-not-guilty

**Twiglet** Thu Jun 09, 2011 3:09 am

Philadelphia Inquirer

3 may 2011

Man accused in river death of infant seeks reduced bail

The attorney for a man accused of throwing his 3-month-old daughter off a bridge while the child's mother was at court seeking a restraining order said Monday that he was hoping to get his client's bail reduced and may opt for an insanity defense.

In a brief proceeding in Superior Court on Monday, Richard Klein noted that Shamsiddin Abdur-Raheem has no indictable offenses on his record and was employed and in school when his daughter died in February 2010.

http://articles.philly.com/2011-05-03/news/29499147_1_insanity-defense-state-police-issue-zara-malani-lin-abdur

**Twiglet** Sun Sep 09, 2012 12:54 am

Daily Mail

8 September 2012

Father who threw his baby daughter over a bridge shows no emotion as he is convicted of murder

A man who kidnapped his infant daughter from her grandmother’s home and tossed her over a bridge into the icy river below showed no emotion as he was convicted of her murder today.

Shamsidden Abdur-Raheem, 24, from New Jersey, bowed his head and showed little reaction as guilty verdicts for murder, kidnapping and related charges were read in state superior court in New Brunswick.

The child’s mother, Venetta Benjamin, who testified during the trial, let out a quick gasp of air, tears rolling down her cheeks as the verdict was read.
She later thanked all those 'who have worked tirelessly on this case and verdict, to ensure justice for my daughter', adding: 'God is good.'

New Jersey’s attorney general lauded the verdict, saying it was 'a chapter in a tragedy, but a chapter that needed to be written', in a case that prompted an overhaul of the state’s rules on issuing missing child alerts.

Abdur-Raheem admitted during the trial that he threw three-month-old Zara Malani-Lin Abdur-Raheem off a Garden State Parkway bridge into the Raritan River on February 16, 2010.

But he claimed he believed the child already was dead from injuries she suffered during a fight with the baby’s grandmother.

The infant’s body was found on the shore of the Raritan two months later by passers-by.

The jury acquitted Abdur-Raheem of attempted murder of the baby’s maternal grandmother, Leno Benjamin.

The grandmother had been caring for the infant at her East Orange apartment while the child’s mother was obtaining a restraining order against Abdur-Raheem.

Jurors convicted him on lesser charges related to Abdur-Raheem assaulting the grandmother while taking the child.

Abdur-Raheem testified that during a struggle with the child’s grandmother, the baby fell and hit her head.

But a state forensic anthropologist testified the skull fractures found on the baby were made at or about the time of death and that they were caused by a significant fall and not one of four feet or less.

During his testimony, Abdur-Raheem said he placed the infant in a knapsack, and pushed her out the passenger side window and off the Driscoll Bridge, into the river more than 100 feet below.

'I tossed my daughter off the bridge,' he said. 'I don’t know why.'

Family members said at the time of the baby’s disappearance that the couple, who never married, had a bumpy relationship since they started dating as freshmen at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.

Abdur-Raheem, of Galloway Township, wore a suit, tie and glasses in court, and showed little reaction during the proceedings in front of State Superior Court Judge Bradley Ferencz. Abdur-Raheem’s mother and father, both present in court for the verdict, declined to comment.

His attorney, Michael Priarone, did not comment following the verdict, and did not return a call seeking comment.

Deputy Attorney General Andrew Fried, who prosecuted the case, said he appreciated that jurors seemed to have taken their time because they were taking the case seriously.

The jury deliberated for four days and made several requests for clarification on legal points and to have testimony transcripts read to them.

'People came up to me and said: "Why isn’t there a verdict?" Obviously this jury wanted to be very, very careful, and they took it very seriously, and obviously came out with the right verdict,' Fried said.

Abdur-Raheem faces a minimum of 40 years in prison on the murder and kidnapping charges and up to life in prison when he’s sentenced November 7, Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa said.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2200096/Shamsidden-Abdur-Raheem-Father-threw-baby-daughter-bridge-convicted-murder.html

**Twiglet** Mon Oct 29, 2012 7:21 am

Seven weeks ago Shamsidden Abdur-Raheem was convicted of murdering his daughter, Zara back in Feb 2010.

Her body was recovered 2 months later..

He will be sentenced next week..

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