Father charged in toilet training beating death

The father of a Minneapolis toddler has been charged with killing her nearly three years ago.

Authorities say Pierre LaVontae Gray was angry when the 27-month-old girl, Malaya Douglas, had accidents during toilet training. He allegedly would punish the child by hitting her with a belt or a broom while she cried "stop daddy."

The autopsy found the girl's injuries - including bruises all over her body, abdominal bleeding and a lacerated liver - didn't fit with the parents' initial explanation that she fell down the stairs.

Police say they got a break recently when Gray's wife changed her story, and that Gray later admitted beating her over several hours before police were called to their home back in August of 2006.

Now 28, Gray was charged Monday with three counts of murder.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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