A hearing is underway in Brooklyn court to determine whether the mother of a Bedford-Stuyvesant girl will be tried jointly with her husband for her child?s death.

Nixzaliz Santiago?s attorney said in court Thursday that his client was the victim of an abusive husband, Cesar Rodriguez, who prevented Santiago from helping her 7-year-old daughter. Santiago claims Rodriguez abused Nixzmary Brown. Santiago?s attorney is pushing to have separate trials, but prosecutors say they doubt Santiago was battered or depressed. They plan to call her young children as witnesses. Santiago is due back in court July 27. She is undergoing counseling and will receive a psychological evaluation.

Police were called to Nixzmary Brown?s apartment in January. An autopsy showed the girl died from a blow to the head. Her stepfather is accused of binding, beating and molesting her.

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