Mother, stepfather accused of beating 9-year-old girl to death

The horrific murder of a young girl in South Jersey. The Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office saying she was beaten to death by her mother and stepfather. The couple allegedly making up a story about the girl being hit by a car in an effort, they say, to cover up that abuse. It's Thursday afternoon. I'm Brian Tapp. And I'm Sarah Blomquist. The big story on Action News is the murder of a nine-year-old girl in Paulsboro. She was rushed to the hospital after her parents called 911 early Tuesday morning, telling first responders they thought she'd been hit by a car. When she arrived at the hospital, doctors there discovered something much more sinister. New Jersey correspondent Trish Hartman joining us live now in Paulsboro, where the suspects appeared before a judge today. Trish? Yeah, Brian, Sarah, the details of the story are extremely upsetting. Police were called to this home here in Paulsboro for a report of an unresponsive 9-year-old. The child's mother and stepfather have now been charged with her murder. They've also been charged with lying about how she was injured. Investigation is in progress. A caller is advising my partner that the 9-year-old may have been hit by a car and is now in cardiac arrest. We're still working on it. The call came in this morning. 45-year-old Sean Scott telling dispatchers a 9-year-old was not breathing after being hit by a car while walking the dog. The child's mother, 27-year-old India Miller, saying she thought she heard tires screech outside. The child was taken to the hospital, and according to authorities, hospital staff said the injuries they observed were not consistent with a car crash. Facial trauma, bruising over the entire body, multiple broken ribs, some in various stages of healing. She was pronounced dead at 6:42 p.m. Her cause of death was determined to be multiple blunt force injuries. Miller and Scott were charged with murder. Just horrifying. You know, I don't know her personally, but I know her in passing. Neighbors were stunned to learn about the killing. Police say inside the home they found what appeared to be bloody children's clothing in a tub. Police said surveillance video from the area during that time showed no vehicle traffic on the street. Both Miller and Scott made first appearances virtually in front of a Gloucester County judge today, hearing the charges against them. At the home, one woman came to leave a stuffed animal to honor the young victim. The horror of her last few moments. I couldn't believe it. I thought of my kids. I thought of the neighborhood kids. I just wanted to come lay a little something, let her know that she was, you know, she was loved. I didn't know her. She was loved. Now the superintendent of Paulsboro Schools says while this young victim was not a student within the district, they will be making support available to any student who needs it. Both defendants are due back in court next week for detention hearings. They're both being held in the Salem County Jail. We're live in Paulsboro, New Jersey. Trish Hartman, Channel 6 Action News. Unbearable to hear the details here, Trish. Thank you.