Man 'beats 3-year-old girl to death over incorrect maths answers'
'I killed my child. I killed my child,' Joshua Salovich reportedly said
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A Mississippi man charged with beating a three-year-old girl to death over a maths lesson told police it was “all his fault," officers have testified.
The man, 25-year-old Joshua Salovich, told police he was teaching the girl “her numbers,” and struck her every time she answered incorrectly, Meridian Police Detective Kevin Boyd said.
"She apparently did not want to participate and get the correct numbers," Mr Boyd testified on Monday. "He said he would pop her with his hands on her butt and legs when she got a wrong answer... [He said he] backhanded her several times in the stomach because she kept getting it wrong."
Mr Salovich allegedly told police he beat the child with his hands, a charging cord, and a bamboo rod. Asked how hard he hit the child on a 1-10 scale, Mr Body testified, the man “said, '10,' with no hesitation”.
Police said Mr Salovich confessed to disciplining the girl in this way several times a week, according to the Meridian Star.
"He did state that on that day, the child was giving an unusual amount of incorrect answers," Meridian Police Chief Benny Dubose said.
The toddler, Bailey Salovich, was taken to the hospital on Friday for her injuries. Police said she arrived with marks on her buttocks and legs, as well as swelling in her abdomen and bleeding in her brain. She died on Saturday from her injuries.
Mr Salovich reportedly became agitated after learning of the girl’s death, saying: “I killed my child. I killed my child”. Police said it was unclear whether he was the girl’s biological father.
Bailey's mother reportedly cried throughout the hearing, and collapsed after it was resolved.
The court charged Mr Salovich with capital murder, meaning he could face the death penalty. They also denied him bail.