One man for Indianapolis wey dem call Zachary Arnold, 41 years old, don land for police hand after he confess say na im kil im 5-year-old daughter, Zara Arnold, on May 19. According to wetin court document talk, Arnold first tell police say di pikin fall for staircase, but later he change mouth and talk say na im strangulate di girl after quarrel with im girlfriend.
Police talk say di girlfriend confirm say dem dey fight and she even see when Arnold dey choke di small girl. Reports come talk say Arnold send di babe pictures of Zara wey dey foam for mouth, do video call with her as he dey choke di girl, and even tell am make she call 911 say he go harm the pikin.
But di girlfriend no call police. She talk say she fear Arnold and think say na play he dey play. Court documents talk say she even get video for her phone wey show as Arnold dey swing Zara with rope like noose.
Early morning of May 19, emergency people see Zara for Arnold house, cold, stiff and full of bruise. Police arrest Arnold for murder and neglect of pikin. For police interview, Arnold talk say na di fight with him girlfriend, Andrea Lopez-Figueroa, wey cause am to vex and kill him daughter.
Lopez-Figueroa talk say she no gree sleep for Arnold house dat night to help look after Zara, wey just return from family friend place. She tell am say she wan be single and need space. Dem begin argue from dia.
Police talk say over hours, Lopez-Figueroa dey watch through video call as Arnold dey beat and choke Zara. She tell am make he stop but no call 911. Instead, she dey screenshot everything. She talk say she think say na joke. She talk say Arnold choke Zara like 10 times. For di last call, she see say Zara no dey move and blood dey her body. She still no call police.
Next morning, Arnold dey do CPR when he call her again. Around 11:07am, as emergency people dey check Zara body, Arnold text her say di girl don die.
Police arrest Lopez-Figueroa later. Di forensic search for her phone confirm say di video calls, messages and pictures match her story. Some videos even show Arnold dey strangle Zara since April. One video show am dey carry Zara with rope and hang her for back.
Now, police don issue warrant for Lopez-Figueroa arrest too for aiding crime and not reporting. Arnold first court hearing happen on May 22. Dem no give am bail. Prosecutor talk say dem go pursue life sentence without parole.
Arnold don get case before — rape charge for 2020 wey dem dismiss after plea deal. Zara mama don report am before say he dey violate protective order, and he plead guilty for invasion of privacy just few days before di girl die. Court even sentence am 360 days but allow am go home. That one happen May 12 — just one week before Zara die.
Coroner don confirm say Zara die from many blunt force injuries and say na homicide. Arnold still dey for Adult Detention Center, and police say more charges fit still come as dem dey continue investigation.
