Girl 'witnesses mother's murder'

A five-year-old girl in the US witnessed her mother beaten to death by her boyfriend on the way home from a convenience store, authorities allege.

The child, who has only been identified as JF, told detectives "Kevin hurt Mommy," South Jersey Times reports.

The girl told police that her mother Jennifer Bongco, 41, was arguing with Kevin Ambrose, 52, as they drove to their home in Winslow, New Jersey after visiting a convenience store on July 25.

When the confrontation escalated Ms Bongco got out of the car and Ambrose started attacking her, the girl said.

JF then ran the short distance to her home and banged on the front door with blood on her hands until her 19-year-old sister Maria answered.

"Mommy is dead," the girl was quoted as saying.

Around the same time a pizza delivery man found Ms Bongco's body lying in a pool of blood on the side of the road.

She was declared dead a short time later

"Mommy I love you more than anything in this world," Ms Bongco's daughter Maria wrote on her mother's Facebook page.

"I'm nowhere near ready to live a life without you. Please always stay with me. I never imagined this day would come so soon."

Police allege Ambrose stabbed Ms Bongco multiple times before dumping her body and fleeing to a casino resort in Atlantic City, where he was found less than 24 hours later.

Only four days before her death the couple had been holidaying in Las Vegas.

Ambrose has been charged with first-degree murder and allegedly confessed to the fatal stabbing in a phone call to a witness in the case.

He is currently in custody with is bail set at $2.1 million.

Source: South Jersey Times

Author: Martin Zavan, Approving editor: Nick Pearson