Man Beat 5-Year-Old Daughter To Death For Not Doing Homework

A New Mexico man was arrested Friday for beating his five-year-old daughter to death for not doing homework.

Brandon Reynolds, 36, brutally beat his daughter, Sarah Dubois-Gilbeau, on Thursday night after she refused to do her homework. He called 911 the following day and said the child was suffering from cardiac arrest.

"When rescue arrived they realized this was turning into a criminal situation and they called us and we took over the investigation. We recognized that this wasn't consistent with what they were being told and it became a criminal investigation, “an Albuquerque Police Department spokesperson said, ABC 7 reported.

Emergency responders rushed the child to the hospital after trying to revive her, where she was pronounced dead.

"Detectives learned from hospital staff that the girl had suffered serious injuries. Detectives from our crimes against children unit were called to the scene to investigate with the assistance of our homicide unit,” Albuquerque Police Chief Michael Geier said.

According to the criminal complaint, Reynolds told police that he became very angry after his daughter refused to do homework and that “he didn’t know what came over him” and “that’s when the discipline set in.”

The complaint stated that blood was found on the living room walls and the carpet when officers arrived at the home. The child was hit several times with a shoe and was covered with bruises.

"This is definitely a heartbreaking tragedy and our officers and detectives are working diligently at this time to get justice for this little girl," Geier said.

A neighbor told police that she heard the man shouting “'Get up!’ followed by sounds of someone or something being struck.”

Reynolds, who was granted custody of the child following a legal dispute with the child's mother, was taken into custody Friday and charged with child abuse, intentionally caused, resulting in the death of a child under 13. He was held at Metropolitan Detention Center.

Speaking to ABC-affiliated television station KOAT, a neighbor said, the girl “was so cute. She was a little angel.” "She didn't deserve this," the neighbor added.