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Mom accused of drowning toddler to remain jailed

A judge did not set bail for a Sunset Park mother Wednesday at her arraignment in the death of her 2-year-old daughter. Lin Li, 24, was remanded back to jail. Li is facing charges of second-degree

News 12 Staff

Mar 17, 2016, 6:28 AM

Updated 3,191 days ago

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A judge did not set bail for a Sunset Park mother Wednesday at her arraignment in the death of her 2-year-old daughter.
Lin Li, 24, was remanded back to jail.
Li is facing charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter and acting in a manner injurious to a child after her daughter Melody Pheng drowned Sunday night.
Investigators accuse Li of putting a container over Melody's head and holding it under water in the family's bathtub.
First responders found the toddler unconscious inside her 47th Street home around 8:30 p.m. after Li called 911. They say Melody's father was performing CPR on her. 
Rescuers transported Melody to Maimonides Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
Investigators say Li confessed to killing her daughter.
But police say the father told them the drowning was an accident. Outside the courtroom Wednesday, he appeared agitated and allegedly pushed a news photographer.
The defense says it will pick apart the police investigation -- Li was in custody for two days without a lawyer before the NYPD filed any charges. Her defense attorney says she doesn't speak English and may not have understood her rights. He also claimed police may have pressured her into giving a statement.
"What did they do with her?" asked Martin Marshak, her lawyer. "What did she say? How much pressure was put upon her to make a statement? I don't know."
If convicted, Li faces 25 years to life in prison.