*My god. Why is it the children who always have to suffer the most? Neil White, the estranged husband of NBC Universal VP, Michelle Hord-White, has been arrested for the alleged murder of the couple’s seven-year-old daughter, Gabrielle.
The child’s body was discovered by her nanny, Tonelle, who was looking for her when her father claimed she was asleep in her bedroom. Suspicious when she saw blood on White’s arms, the nanny rushed to the child’s room in the family’s home at 3 Arbor Glen in the New York city of New Rochelle, where she lay dead.
Cops responded to the babysitter’s call around 3:20 pm. According to the Journal News, the little girl was in second grade at William B. Ward Elementary School.
Reports say the child is believed to have been suffocated.
A NewsOne report reveals a statement from the family.
?No words could sum up all that Gabrielle meant to us but she was our light. We are broken and devastated that our sweet little girl is gone but we?re thankful that we had seven wonderful years with her,? said the family in a statement, via WPIX-TV. ?While we begin to mourn privately, we thank those friends, colleagues, neighbors and strangers for the tremendous support that we?ve already received.?
In a statement, Gabrielle’s school district writes…
?The City School District of New Rochelle and Ward School are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of one of our students. The student?s family is in all of our thoughts and prayers,? the district said. ?It is important for both schools and families to support them by listening to them carefully and helping them through their feelings.?
According to a report in The New York Post, police had responded to a verbal dispute at the family’s home in January, but the incident was resolved and officers left after a few minutes, police said.
Hord-White and her husband lived separately and the NBC exec had filed for divorce from him in April.
Neil White was treated for his wounds at Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital and charged with second-degree murder. He pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail. He is slated to appear in court on June 15.
There is an ongoing investigation surrounding the incident.
A Go Fund Me page has been set up to help with Gabrielle’s funeral costs. It has already raised $22,853 of its $20,000 goal over the past 5 days.
Damn! That feels so weird to write!!! A little girl. Dead. #myheartaches
Rest in peace, baby girl.
