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Hawthorne Mother Ida Brockman, Boyfriend Malachi Whalen Face Child Abuse, Torture Charges In Death Of Her 7-Year-Old Daughter

HAWTHORNE (CBSLA) — A Hawthorne mother and her boyfriend will face a judge Friday on charges of murder, torture, and child abuse in the death of a 7-year-old girl.

Ida Brockman, 30, and Malachi Whalen, 29, each face murder and child abuse charges. Whalen faces an additional charge of torture, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, which is assisting in the investigation.

The couple, who are each being held on $2.6 million each, are scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday at LAX Superior Court Wednesday.

The girl, who was not identified, died last Thursday after being taken to Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital. Hospital officials called Hawthorne police that day to report a possible child abuse-related death.

"Investigators learned the victim's mother and her boyfriend brought her to the emergency room unresponsive by way of their personal vehicle," authorities said. "The victim sustained multiple injuries that were inconsistent with statements made by the mother and her boyfriend."

The apartment in the 3000 block of El Segundo Boulevard where Brockman lived with her boyfriend and the child was described as a "crime scene.

Authorities say the investigation is ongoing at this time. No further information was released.

Anyone with information about the child's death can contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.

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