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Cynthia Arce, pleaded guilty in Westchester County Court that she intended to kill her daughter, Gabriella Boyd, and that she stabbed two police officers on April 28, 2018 in Mamaroneck. She pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted aggravated assault.
Arce was previously offered a deal of 25 years to life if she pleaded guilty in the death of her child. Arce reportedly turned down the initial offer, and a judge has put a timetable on how long she has to accept the deal.
Members of the Mamaroneck Police Department responded to a Chestnut Avenue home in April last year, where there was an emergency call from Arce’s mother - who also lived with the family - reporting that someone was dying. Upon arrival, they found Boyd unresponsive on her bed.
Responding officers attempted to immediately resuscitate Boyd, while others checked the house, where they found Arce in an adjacent bedroom with the door closed.
Police said that Arce had her hands behind her back and refused to comply with orders to show her hands. When she did finally consent, she raised her arms above her shoulders, revealing two large knives, one in each hand.
Westchester County District Attorney Anthony Scarpino Jr. said that Arce charged at the officers, slashing at two of them. When tasers failed to subdue her, a third officer shot her, promptly ending the confrontation. Two of the officers suffered injuries in the struggle.
Officers continued efforts to keep Boyd alive in the meantime until paramedics arrived. The toddler was transported to White Plains Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The death came less than 24 hours after Gabriella's father, Stephen Boyd attempted to have his daughter removed from Arce's home. He obtained a court order granting him temporary custody, barring Arce with any contact with the girl.
However, when police attempted to enforce the order on April 27 last year, Arce refused to comply, claiming that the father had his regular visitation in the morning. Officers left the scene, citing that they did not have the authority to forcibly remove the girl from the Mamaroneck home.
The following day, Arce claimed that her daughter was sick, denying her father access to the child. Police then said that the matter was civil in nature, saying they could not enforce the court order.
According to reports, Stephen Boyd is now filing a lawsuit in state Supreme Court in White Plains, seeking compensatory and punitive damages for an unspecified amount of money.
The lawsuit reportedly states that Boyd is claiming that Boyd has suffered the loss of his daughter, as well as “the loss of his fatherhood and his right, privilege, and pleasure of being a parent.” He also reportedly cited psychological and emotional damage.
The report states that lawsuit also blames the inaction of police officers, Child Protective Services and the girl’s grandmother for contributing in Gabriella’s death.
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