Family claims father is innocent

NEWPORT, R.I. - A prayer and candle light vigil was held Saturday afternoon for a tiny victim, whose death is now being investigated as a homicide.

6 week old Niaomi McCoy died Friday. Police believe her death was caused by her own father, 21 year old Rachin McCoy, after assaulting her.

She was taken to Hasbro Children's Hospital last week with a fractured skull and broken ribs. Now that the baby has died, police are considering this a homicide investigation, but Rachin says the baby fell off the couch and his family is backing him up.

"My son didn't do this," says Lori Moody, "Anybody that knows my son, knows my son did not do this. It wasn't in his type of heart so right now we have to stay strong and focus until the truth comes out. But right now we are mourning our loss, we are missing her dearly."
"The things is, he doesn't even know his baby is dead," says Dockeem McCoy, Rachin's cousin, "he doesn't know anything, nobody is telling him anything."

McCoy has been charged with first degree child abuse and is being held without bail.
the baby's mother has not yet been charged by police.