Man charged with throwing infant to her death

An Atlantic County man who allegedly threw his infant daughter into the Raritan River before fleeing to his parents' home in Winslow Township was indicted Monday on kidnapping and murder charges.

Shamsiddin Abdur-Raheem, 22, faces six counts related to the Feb. 16 abduction and death of his 3-month-old daughter, Zara Malani-Lin Abdur-Raheem, who was thrown from the Driscoll Bridge on the Garden State Parkway in Woodbridge Township.

The Galloway Township resident told others that he had dropped the baby into the frigid water, about 140 feet, soon after the alleged abduction, but the infant's body was not found until April 24.

The baby's mother, Venetta Benjamin, 23, had obtained a protection-from-abuse order against Abdur-Raheem on Feb. 16.

"This is a heartbreaking case of domestic violence," Attorney General Paula T. Dow said in a statement issued Monday. "This indictment of Mr. Abdur-Raheem for the alleged murder of his infant daughter represents important progress in our quest for justice for Baby Zara."

Benjamin had custody of Zara, and the couple had been fighting about how often the father got to see her.

Benjamin went out to obtain the protection order and left her mother, Leno Benjamin, 60, to care for the infant in East Orange. Authorities said the grandmother fought vigorously to hold onto the baby after Abdur-Raheem stormed her apartment.

Leno Benjamin was hit in the head and face and choked, and the attacker banged her head against the floor, but she still managed to chase Abdur-Raheem as he fled with the child, authorities said. They said he struck the grandmother with his van while speeding away.

After allegedly throwing the baby in the water, Abdur-Raheem went to see his Islamic religious leader in Atlantic City. The imam drove Abdur-Raheem to his family's home in Winslow. He was arrested after his father called Camden County authorities.

In addition to murder and kidnapping, Abdur-Raheem is charged with attempted murder in connection with the assault on the grandmother.

He remains in the Essex County Jail on $2 million bail.