Prosecutor: Morgan Weighted Toddler's Seat With Car Jack
Arthur E. Morgan III wanted to ensure his daughter did not live, authorities say
Photos
The Monmouth County man accused of murdering his 2-year-old girl by tossing her into a stream still strapped to her car seat also used a heavy car jack to weight the seat, ensuring the Lakehurst toddler would not survive, prosecutors said during a court hearing Monday.
Arthur Eugene Morgan III, arrested in California last week and returned to New Jersey over the weekend, was arraigned in Monmouth County Superior Court Monday afternoon before Superior Court Judge Thomas F. Scully, who kept bail at $10 million, cash only.
"If ever there was a case where the sentencing guidelines were to be exceeded, this is the case,'' Scully said before continuing bail.
Deputy First Assistant Prosecutor Richard Incremona said during the short hearing that Morgan tossed his daughter, Tierra Morgan-Glover, over a bridge in Wall Township into a portion of the Shark River, still in her car seat. To ensure she would not survive in the water, he weighted the seat with a car jack, Incremona said.
The previously unreleased detail shocked Morgan-Glover's family members, seated in the audience. There were audible gasps.
Incremona said detectives can put Morgan near the crime scene and have ties to the purchase of the car seat, he said.
Incremona also detailed Morgan's actions immediately after the crime, saying Morgan went to a friend's house, drank alcohol and later boarded a train, leaving Monmouth County. Several days later he surfaced in San Diego.
Incremona also said Morgan had lost his job about a week before the toddler’s death and that he gave away his clothes and other possessions to friends before he fled Monmouth County.
"Clearly never intending to come back here to answer for his crimes,'' Incremona said.
Morgan, dressed in a green prison uniform, answered direct questions with little more than a "yes,'' or ''no.'' When Scully asked him if he wanted the charges against him read aloud, he said: "No. That's alright.''
Scully said the bail, while high, was justified by the heinousness of the crime, the probability of conviction and the obvious flight risk Morgan posed.
Morgan was led out of the courtroom by several armed officers.
The heavily guarded courtroom was outfitted with a metal detector outside. Everyone who entered was required to undergo a screening separate from that which all court visitors undergo entering the court.
The family of the toddler, visibly shaken, was escorted from the courtroom and down the halls. None had any comment on the proceeding.
Outside the courtroom, Arthur Morgan III's uncle, Larry Morgan said he would never have believed that his nephew could have killed his daughter.
"He loved that little girl,'' Larry Morgan, of Eatontown, said. "I've got to find out why. I want to ask him why. I wish he would have called me, reached out. ''
Larry Morgan said he hasn't seen Arthur in more than a year, since a family birthday party. Larry Morgan said he saw sadness, shock and fear from Arthur Morgan during the court appearance.
"I don't think the reality of what he did has hit him yet,'' Larry Morgan said. "I think he's still in shock.''
Morgan, whose last known address was in Eatontown, is charged with the murder of Morgan-Glover.
Morgan took his daughter for a visit Nov. 21. When the girl did not arrive home that night, her mother, Imani Benton, of Lakehurst, called police.
The toddler's body was found partially submerged in a stream in Shark River Park on Schoolhouse Road, authorities have said.
Morgan became the subject of a nationwide manhunt and was arrested at a home in East San Diego a week after the girl's body was found. He was transferred to New Jersey on Friday.
Mattie
3:39 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
Sick, twisted excuse of a man...
Patti
7:16 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
This miserable excuse for wasting air is not a man. Not an animal either - animals don't do these kind of things - he's a demon straight from hell and he needs to go home.
Jan Wheeler Lachowycz
4:07 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
I vote for putting HIM in a seat, maybe a wheelchair, weighting it down with cement blocks, and dumping HIM off a bridge. See how he likes it.
knarfie
4:22 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
Actually too sickening to even comment.
knarfie
4:23 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
Except, are there still people who oppose the death penalty in some cases?
over taxed
4:43 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
Please Patch Do your Post .Give us the facts, But , Please dont show us any more pictures of this scum bag
Mollie
5:39 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
I was horrified by the latest news. Now I really feel sick. I hope his jail-mates have a great time with him and the guards have blinders on. How could anyone kill their child in that way. Someone should kill him the same way
Patti
7:32 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
Hi, Steelcomb - I hear you - I guess the point I was making is that I don't believe an animal is capable of murder, and I wouldn't call this "thing" an animal because that would be an insult to all animals......even the ones who eat their young.
Patti
7:50 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
I could go on such a soap box tangent about political correct horse#h*t and why we have to .....oh, nevermind. There is no point at all. Sorry.
No Name
8:29 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
I keep thinking.......WHY?
Patti
8:45 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
And I keep thinking, "Why don't the judges have to live in the neighborhoods in which their decisions wreak such havoc? Sick to the death of it - poor kids.
Carol
9:27 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
I was standing in a line the other day listening to a few people speaking of this crime, when a young boy maybe 10-11 spoke up and said 'They should strap him to a seat and throw him over the bridge'.......A Childs own words! and I agree!!!
clamdigger
11:08 pm on Monday, December 5, 2011
I can't even imagine what this poor child went through in the final minutes of her life. I can't imagine what events led up to the end....the conversation which may have been going on. Was this baby girl asleep the whole time he rigged the car seat w/ the jack? How,why do you do this? Everytime I hear more about this the worse I feel and wish I could have been driving by to (somehow) have stopped it. This poor family, to have to live with this is just unimaginable. I hope peace finds this family soon.
C. Peter Campbell
6:38 am on Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Just to think that in the beginning of November the terrific DYFS organization made the statement that the infant and family are " safe ". I don't think so at all. I realize that my post will bring out all the supporters of DYFS but they made a big mistake on this one.
NS
6:46 am on Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Devil, animal..all of the above. This poor excuse of a human being needs to be weighed down in a shark tank. I agree with the above person..don't show us any more pictures of this scum. God Bless his daughter and her family for their loss. PS..I hope he has a minute in jail of "unprotected" time with his fellow inmates.
Eileen
7:51 am on Tuesday, December 6, 2011
The longer I live on the face of this earth, the more I believe our judicial penal system should be based on the "eye for an eye" system of punishment. So tired of "LAWBREAKERS" having "rights". If you break the law....you should LOSE your rights. You kill someone, you should be killed in the same way. You steal, you have a hand chopped off. You rape someone, you get your weiner chopped off. The American "justice system" is a joke and needs to get on the ball! Back to basics people! Lawbreakers having "rights"....what a joke.
Minden Yo
8:06 am on Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Eileen, I totally agree with your every word. We are too nice, and now will pay for his room, board, 3 meals a day, tv and exercise time. All while others are starving and live on the streets and in the woods!
Gino De Lucia
9:46 am on Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Hopefully, he won't even survive the first day of his sentence; his heart ought to be cut out from his chest while he's alive and then quickly be shown to him before he croaks and goes to hell where he belongs!!!
parkway
9:53 am on Tuesday, December 6, 2011
He needs to be in with the other prisoners so they can torture him very slowly.
Joe Stewart
10:08 am on Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Anyone that knows the family, please let them know that there are many of us here that are speechless about this and are praying that they have an ounce of relief someday.
mark
5:46 pm on Wednesday, December 14, 2011
eileen i agree completely its sick how many people get away with such horrible crimes...godbless the little girls family...