Schenectady woman charged in death of grandson, 8

Enlarge image

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (AP) — Authorities say a 43-year-old old woman has been charged with beating her 8-year-old grandson repeatedly over a prolonged period, eventually leading to his death.

Gloria Nelligan of Schenectady was arraigned in city court on a manslaughter charge Monday and ordered held without bail.

Police say Sha'hiim Nelligan was found unresponsive by family members in their Schenectady home Saturday morning. He was pronounced dead at a hospital. Gloria Nelligan was his legal guardian.

In a 2007 story in the Daily Gazette of Schenectady about women raising grandchildren, Nelligan described her history as a domestic violence victim. She said she had taken parenting classes, battered woman counseling and college courses in hopes of making a better life for Sha'hiim, who she said wsa abandoned by her drug-abusing teenage daughter.

© 2013 The Associated Press.