Detective Natyyo Gray Charged with Capital Murder over Death of His Daughter, One-year-old Aubrey Brown. Trial starts Feb. 11, 2013.Update: Found GUILTY of Murder!

November 21, 2011 09:35 PM EST
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Detective Natyyo Gray of Jackson, Mississippi, is facing capital murder charges after being accused of murdering his 1-year-old daughter. The 36-year-old narcotics officer may be a good cop, but doesn't appear to be a good father, to say the least.

Multiple sources are reporting on the arrest of Detective Natyyo Gray, and the events leading up to his charges being upgraded from abuse to murder. On Sunday afternoon, just before 3:00, Jackson police officers responded to University of Mississippi Medical Center where a 1-year-old girl was admitted with signs of blunt force trauma.

One-year-old Aubrey Brown was admitted with injuries to her stomach that included internal hemorrhaging. The little girl succumbed to the injuries later in the afternoon, the victim of a beating of which police called "gruesome."

Who is Natyyo Gray?

Detective Natyyo Gray is reported to have been a good cop, a narcotics officer who did his job well. He's a veteran police officer who's been with the Jackson Police Department for 14 years. He's put a lot of people behind bars, evidently, so he's in protective custody. He is not being jailed in the general population. That's probably a good idea. Hey, they don't want one of the inmates doing the job of the state if and when this guy is convicted and sent to the chair.

Why do parents harm their children?

Lately it seems that a lot of parents are in the news for harming their kids, and some are in the news because their children are missing and people suspect they are involved. It may not be a growing trend, but it certainly seems that the media is reporting more and more of these cases. It's horrific to think of what little Aubrey Brown went through as she was beaten to a slow death, and it's reminiscent of the recent case of Shelby Dasher of Missouri, who beat her 1-year-old son Tyler Dasher to death before dumping his body and reporting him missing. The 20-year-old single mother reported her son missing, using the same details Deborah Bradley gave police the night 1-year old Lisa Irwin was allegedly abducted. So many of these cases have horrific similarities that are just mind-numbing.

These parents appear to be under a lot of stress, but there is never any reason to harm a child to this extent, to any extent. It's not acceptable when any parent harms their child to the point of death. It wasn't acceptable for Shelby Dasher to take the life away from her son, Tyler Dasher. It was unacceptable for Lisa Irwin to suffer whatever fate she has suffered as she remains missing. Most of all, it is unacceptable for a police officer, a man who has been sworn to uphold the law for nearly two decades, to beat his daughter to death.

He is facing capital murder charges and hopefully those charges stick if he truly did do these horrible things. His department seems very disappointed in him, and they should be. The entire world should be.

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10:52 PM, Nov. 29, 2011 | Comments

A transcript of a February court proceeding shows an ex-Jackson police detective accused of killing his 1-year-old daughter had sent her mother messages calling the child an "ugly bastard" and asserting he wanted nothing to do with the girl.

The Feb. 25 proceedings in Hinds County Chancery Judge Denise Owens' court were not attended by Natyyo Gray, although they show the 36-year-old vice and narcotics officer was aware of the court date.

The child's mother, Phyllis Brown, had taken Gray to court in March over paternity and child support and was awarded custody, $280 a month in child support and $1,680 in arrears to be paid $100 a month until the balance was paid.

Their daughter, Aubrey Zoe Brown, died Nov. 20 of internal bleeding caused by severe blunt force trauma to the abdomen, according to Hinds County Coroner Sharon Grisham-Stewart.

Police initially charged Gray, who was the only person with Zoe at the time she was injured, with felony child abuse, but the charge was upgraded to capital murder once she died.

His attorney, Aafram Sellers, could not be reached for comment Tuesday. But he has said Gray will plead not guilty to the charge.
Phyllis Brown, Zoe's mother, was at church at the time the injuries were inflicted, family members said. Efforts to reach Brown have been unsuccessful.

Brown and Gray lived at the same address on weekends at the time of the incident, but Brown and Zoe spent weekdays in Meridian where Brown worked. It is unclear what type of relationship they had a the time of the child's death.

But during the February court proceedings, Brown told Owens she was frightened by Gray's behavior leading up to the hearing.

The day before the court date, the transcript shows Gray sent an email to Brown that said, "I do not need to visit! Do not want to visit! Don't want her last name changed. Do not want updates on anything... If she's mine I still want no involvement in her life..."
Earlier text messages reflect a similar sentiment.

"In case u want to continue to accuse me as ur $@z$zs father know i am no deadbeat I love my kids. Yours isn't mine. I have nothing for it," court records show he wrote at 4:59 a.m. on Jan. 5, a sentiment reiterated in a text sent one minute later.

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I'm sorry, but if the father of my child sent messages of that sort to me about HIS child it would be a cold day in Hell before he ever saw her again. Why did the mother leave the little girl with that idiot? I just don't get it.....most of the time!

After the child was born in September 2010, Brown had taken Gray, also known as Devon Whitfield, to court - apparently to prove he was the father. Zoe was his third child. His other two children are under the age of 10.

In March, she was awarded child support and sole custody. Gray was to have "only supervised visitation under the supervision of the mother until further order of" Hinds County Chancery Judge Denise Owens, court papers show.

"The court makes this ruling due to the age of the child and the repeated written communications from the father expressing his specific wishes to have no contact with the child, to disavow the child, and making derogatory comments about the child," Owens wrote.

When the couple began living together is not clear. Gray's address at the time of the paternity and custody case was unknown, according to court papers.

Carter said if Gray didn't want to be in his daughter's life, he "should have faded out." "He wouldn't have been the first deadbeat father."

Aafram Sellers, Gray's attorney, said, "He's still entitled to the same presumption of innocence that anyone else charged with a crime is entitled to." "We all feel a lot of sorrow for the child, and rightfully so, but we have to respect the criminal system."

Sellers said since he took Gray's case, he has taken many calls from all kinds of people attesting to Gray's good character.

"These people are not family members. They're people who could just as easily not say anything. They don't have to come forward," he said.

"I have dealt with him (Gray) as a detective in the past, and he's been professional with his dealings with me and has never given me any indication that this would be in his character."

Sellers said he waiting until a preliminary hearing to see what evidence the police have against Gray before deciding upon a defense strategy. Gray's preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 5.

Gray, who is being held in isolation at the Hinds County Detention Center, apparently already has lost his job with JPD, where he was assigned to the vice and narcotics unit.

When asked about Gray's employment, Assistant Police Chief Lee Vance said Wednesday Gray no longer works for JPD. He said he could not elaborate on when Gray's employment ceased because it is a personnel matter.

Gray was arrested Sunday and initially charged with felony child abuse. The charge was upgraded following the results of the autopsy.

As Gray awaits his second day in court following his initial appearance Tuesday, the Brown family continues to grieve.

Carter said the family is in need of prayers as it mourns the loss of a child considered to be "one of the sweetest kids you'd want to meet."

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In March, she was awarded child support and sole custody. Gray was to have "only supervised visitation under the supervision of the mother until further order of" Hinds County Chancery Judge Denise Owens, court papers show.

If this was still in place the mother had NO business leaving him alone with the child. I have to place half the blame on her. She knew what the father was like.

but we have to respect the criminal system."

Sure, he might have been a great vice detective but that doesn't make him "Mr. Rogers". Just the text messages alone show his "character".

BJ wrote:

In March, she was awarded child support and sole custody. Gray was to have "only supervised visitation under the supervision of the mother until further order of" Hinds County Chancery Judge Denise Owens, court papers show.

If this was still in place the mother had NO business leaving him alone with the child. I have to place half the blame on her. She knew what the father was like.

Amen!!! What the hell was she thinking???

BJ wrote:

She was adorable

Police Officer Charged with Murder After Beating One-Year Old Daughter to Death
November 30, 2011

A police officer in Mississippi is being charged with Capital Murder after beating his one-year old daughter to death. Natyyo Gray, a vice and narcotics officer, was babysitting the child when he allegedly committed this horrendous crime.

According to Assistant Chief Lee Vance of the Jackson Police Department: ”The baby died of injuries that were described as blunt force trauma to the abdomen area. Certainly from what I know right now, the baby was in the sole care of Detective Gray.”

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Ex-police officer denied bond in infant capital murder case

Posted: Dec 05, 2011 5:46 PM CST
Updated: Dec 05, 2011 7:14 PM CST
By Roslyn Anderson

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) -
The ex-Jackson police officer charged with the Capital Murder of his infant daughter will remain behind bars.

Natyyo Gray appeared in Hinds County Court requesting bond Monday.

He is accused of the November 20th beating death of his one year old Aubry Zoe Brown.

A JPD detective testified that he observed bruising on the child's forehead and a large lump on top of her head, in addition to an abdominal bruise.

An autopsy determined Aubry died of blunt for trauma to the abdomen.

Gray's attorney, Aafram Sellers, argued for bond citing that the defendant was not a flight risk.

Sellers told the court that Gray had no history of violence, and there was no evidence of his harming the child when he cared for her previously.

Hinds County Senior Assistant District Attorney Scott Rogillio countered Gray's statement that he massaged the infant's stomach because she appeared constipated.

He said that was untrue because the blunt force trauma was so severe that organs were destroyed and there was internal bleeding.

The infant's mother, Phyllis Brown, held her head in her hands during graphic testimony about her child's injuries and death.

"Had the child survived, there's no doubt the defendant would have been charged at minimum with felonious child abuse. The fact that the child did die as a result of abuse is what makes it Capital Murder," Rogillio told Judge Houston Patton.

"He has a clean spirit and a good heart, and he loves kids. He would never harm a kid, especially his own. These people don't know him, and they don't know his character. I think they need to look at the mother closely, very very closely and her family and who she associates with," said Gray family friend Alice Jones, who defended the accused former law officer.

Gray was returned to protective custody following the proceedings.

Judge Patton denied bond and bound the case over to the next Grand Jury.

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Infant's injuries extensive
Case against former officer goes to grand jury
10:58 PM, Dec. 5, 2011
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Hinds County deputies escort ex-Jackson Police Detective Natyyo Gray to a preliminary hearing Monday in Judge Houston Patton courtroom. Gray, 36, is charged with capital murder in the death of his 1-year-old daughter. / Greg Jenson/The Clarion-Ledger

Written by
Therese Apel

An infant whose father is charged with capital murder in her death was in good health as recently as September, a detective testified Monday at a hearing in which police laid out their case.

But about two months later, 1-year-old Aubrey Zoe Brown, allegedly was fatally injured while being abused by her father, Natyyo Gray, 36, a former Jackson Police Department detective.

"It wasn't until the child was in his sole custody for that brief period when the child was hurt?" Assistant District Attorney Scott Rogillio asked Detective Eric Smith. "And hurt is a very loose term, wouldn't you agree?"

"Very loose," said Smith, the sole witness during Gray's packed preliminary hearing before Hinds County Judge Houston Patton.

Zoe sustained bruises to her forehead, back and pelvis, extensive abdominal bruising, and a large hematoma on the top of her head. She also had a lacerated liver and pancreas. Rogillio told the court she was bleeding from her anus as a result of trauma to her intestines. The cause of death was internal injuries.

Gray's attorney, Aafram Sellers, said his client maintains he is innocent. Sellers asked Smith about intent.

"I have no proof he actually intended to hurt the child," Smith replied.

Smith detailed the events of Nov. 20, when Zoe's mother, Phyllis Brown, left the child with Gray while she was at church. After church, she stopped at a department store and was there when she got a call from Gray that something was wrong with Zoe and she needed to come to the hospital.

Smith testified Gray had called the ambulance to the home he shared with Brown, and when emergency officials arrived, he was performing compressions on her abdomen.

Gray is certified in CPR and should have known how to do the compressions correctly, Smith testified.

Smith said Gray told him in questioning that he thought the child was constipated and was trying to massage her stomach. Smith testified that doctors and pathologists told him there was no possible way the child's injuries were caused by a belly massage or CPR.

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I thought I'd heard every excuse in the book for child abuse but this takes the cake. OMG!!!

So if he's claiming all her internal injuries were caused by rubbing her stomach because he thought she was constipated, how's he explaining away the hematoma on the top of her head?
Surely no one believes that CRAP!

UPDATED 11:56 AM CDT Oct 31, 2012

JACKSON, Miss. —

A former Jackson police officer accused in the death of his 1-year-old daughter appeared in court Wednesday, where he withdrew a motion asking for bond.

Natyyo Gray is charged with capital murder in connection with the Nov. 20, 2011, death of Aubrey Brown. The Hinds County coroner said Brown died of an internal hemorrhage after suffering blunt-force trauma to the abdomen.

Police said Gray was taking care of the baby when she was injured. The girl's mother had full custody of the baby, according to court documents. Gray's attorney contends the officer called 911 and was trying to revive the child when the ambulance arrived.

16 WAPT News reported that through a paternity test, Gray found out a few months before the child's death that he was her father. In March 2011, a Hinds County judge ordered that Gray pay $280 a month in child support, plus more than $1,600 in back payments.

Defense attorneys had planned to call the child's mother, Phyllis Brown, to the stand Wednesday to challenge her account of events. But when Brown failed to show up, attorneys withdrew the motion and didn't ask that bond be set for Gray, who has been jailed since his arrest last year.

Gray worked for the Jackson Police Department as a vice and narcotics detective.

A trial date has has been set for Feb. 11, 2013, court officials said.


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I can't believe how stupid some people are. He resented his baby and when she wouldn't stop crying, he beat her to shut her up. Yeah, how's that working for him now?

He needs to be in jail forever.

Former JPD officer denied bond again

By: WJTV STAFF |
Published: October 31, 2012

A former Jackson Police Department officer will remain behind bars without bond charged with capital murder.

He's accused of killing his infant daughter.

Natyyo Gray appeared in a Hinds County Circuit Court.

Gray's attorney wanted to file a motion to hold a bond hearing.

But they couldn't get in touch with the baby's mother in order Wednesday to testify in court.

The attorneys had to end up withdrawing their motion.

"I'm pretty sure they wanted to cross-examine the child's mother, they will get a chance to cross-examine all witnesses at trial, unless the mother is relevant, which I don't think she is at a bond hearing they do not get that opportunity to cross-examine the mother," said Robert Smith, Hinds Co. District Attorney.

Natyyo Gray's daughter, 14-month-old Aubrey Zoe Brown, died from blunt force trauma in November of 2011, after being rushed to University Medical Center with internal bleeding.

The attorney wouldn't say if they will re-file the motion.

Gray is scheduled to go to trial next month.

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Feb. 11, 2013 9:31 AM
Written by
Therese Apel

The trial of former Jackson Police Detective Natyyo Gray, accused of killing his 1-year-old daughter Zoe, begins this week.

Gray was arrested Nov. 20, 2011 on felony child abuse charges which were upgraded to capital murder when an autopsy showed Zoe Brown died of blunt-force trauma to the abdomen.

At the time, Assistant Chief Lee Vance called the death "an unspeakable tragedy, an outrage. This is as bad as it gets."

As required when there are signs of abuse, doctors called police to the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Zoe was taken there at 2:41 p.m. on Sunday and died about 4:30 p.m.

Gray was living with the child's mother on Monroe Street, but Aubrey was in his sole custody when the injuries seem to have been inflicted, officials said. While he was only supposed to have supervised visitation, he was watching the child while her mother was at church.

He told emergency medical personnel that he had thought the baby was constipated and that he had tried to massage her stomach to loosen her bowels.

The child's mother, Phyllis Brown, has kept a low profile through the time since her daughter died, speaking primarily through family members.

Court documents show that Gray had sent Brown messages denying paternity and insulting the child prior to a paternity hearing.

“"In case u want to continue to accuse me as ur bastards father. that ugly baby isn't mine," court documents show he wrote to her.

Brown’s family said Gray said he also went by the name Devon Whitfield. At one point he had told her that he had gotten a job as an officer in Atlanta, but she soon found out he was still working in Jackson.

Vance said he was unaware Gray had been using that alias.

Gray also has a son and a daughter under the age of 10. Friends and former coworkers say they do not believe he is capable of hurting his own child.

Phyllis Brown’s mother Ruby Brown said her daughter has not taken Zoe’s death well, and that for a while she wasn’t eating or sleeping.

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Feb 21, 2013 | 2 Comments

Written by
Brian Eason

A former Jackson Police detective is likely to spend the rest of his life behind bars.

After a week-and-a-half-long trial, a jury this afternoon found Natyyo Gray guilty of capital murder in the death of his 1-year-old daughter Zoe.

Gray first was arrested Nov. 20, 2011 on felony child abuse charges which were upgraded to capital murder when an autopsy showed Zoe Brown died of blunt-force trauma to the abdomen.

Earlier on Thursday, prosecutors delivered their closing arguments with an image of a smiling, healthy Zoe shown on the projector as they spoke. Assistant District Attorney Jamie McBride repeatedly asked jurors to put “the animal” who hurt her behind bars.

Court documents show that Gray had sent the child’s mother, Phyllis Brown, messages denying paternity and insulting the child prior to a paternity hearing.

“In case u want to continue to accuse me as ur bastards father. that ugly baby isn't mine,” court documents show he wrote to her.

Earlier in the trial, jurors were asked to look at gruesome images of Zoe’s dead body, covered with bruises and lacerations that multiple medical experts testified must have been inflicted within 30 minutes of the girl’s death — a time frame during which Gray was the only one in contact with the child.

Phyllis Brown has kept a low profile through the time since her daughter died, but was called on to testify during an emotional trial. She rushed from the courtroom silently after the verdict was handed down.

Attorneys in Gray’s defense had tried to paint her as Zoe’s possible killer.

“Why did the Jackson Police Department not (investigate) her?” said attorney Paul Koerber. “They had already made their mind up.”

Hinds District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith said they will seek life without parole for Gray. His sentencing is tentatively set for March 7 at 9 a.m.

Koerber pledged to appeal the ruling.

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Natyyo Gray, found guilty of capital murder in the death of his daughter Zoe Brown, received a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. The jury reached a verdict on Feb. 21 after only two hours of deliberation.

Gray took the stand and argued his innocence just before the sentencing. The toddler’s mother, Phyllis Brown, also spoke to the judge, asking him to give Gray the maximum sentence.

Zoe Brown died of blunt force trauma on Nov. 20, 2011. Gray has maintained his innocence throughout the case, and took the stand on his own behalf during the trial, telling the jury about how he tried to massage the toddler’s stomach, thinking she was constipated, then how he gave her CPR. Gray’s training officers from JPD testified, however, that he had been trained in CPR.

Then a state medical examiner testified that Zoe Brown’s injuries were consistent with being punched or stomped, not with the CPR or abdominal massage that Gray described.

Gray’s attorneys tried to argue that Phyllis Brown could have been responsible for the child’s injuries as well. Brown argued that she loved her daughter.

"She was a joy. I was amazed by her. I loved to make her laugh. She was sweet. She just had the sweetest spirit. She convinced me parenting was easy," Brown said on the stand.

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