Abused 10-year-old's sister speaks

PHILADELPHIA - November 6, 2009 (WPVI) -- It's been over two weeks since the horrific abuse case of 10-year-old Charleeni Ferreria.

Her biological father Domingo and her stepmother, 43-year-old Margarita Garabito, were charged with her brutal murder.

The victim's sister, 25-year-old Glenny Ferreria, however, refuses to believe that her father had anything to do with Charleeni's abuse and subsequent death, a child he referred to as his princess.

"I'm crying because I don't know what I can do. I don't have my father, I don't have my sister," Glenny said. "I know in my heart, he didn't know nothing about the abuse."

Glenny, who is married and was not living in the same home as Charleeni, says that her father's own fault was that he was a workaholic, working long hours to provide for his family.

She began to notice a change in her sister's behavior 3 years ago, as Glenny says Charleeni refused to talk much and she never let on to what was happening to her.

She says when she asked Margarita about Charleeni, she always had an excuse for everything. She blamed her limp on an overweight problem and when she noticed bruises on her sister:

"I talked to Margarita and she said she had some problem with the blood," Glenny said.

On the day Charleeni died, she asked her father what happened and he told her that he was just realizing he had married a monster.

"And he said, 'I was living with a monster and I don't know that I was living with a monster and I didn't know that,''" Glenny said.

Domingo Ferreria took his own life in jail; Glenny believes it was out of deep grief for Charleeni.

"He was the best father, If I have another life, I want him to be my father again," Glenny said.

She blames Margarita for destroying her family.

"I don't want to see her never in my life," Glenny said.

Margarita Garabito is being held without bail at the County Detention Center. She has a status hearing on her case now set for November 17.

• BIG STORIES: Get the most popular stuff on 6abc.com
• Follow Action News on Twitter
• Get Action News on your website
• Follow Action News on Facebook
• Get the latest Philadelphia headlines from across the Delaware and Lehigh valleys

Get more Local/State »

local/state

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•