LAKELAND, Fla. -- A Lakeland father and his girlfriend face charges in the death of the dad's 6-year-old girl, police said Tuesday.

  • Larry Lewis Golden Jr. and Breonna B. Wren in custody
  • 6-year-old child died June 14 at Tampa General Hospital
  • Honesty Curry had 'severe skull damage,' other injuries

Larry Lewis Golden Jr. and Breonna B. Wren were charged with first-degree murder and aggravated manslaughter of a child, according to the Lakeland Police Department. The child was identified as Honesty Curry.

Officers responded on Tuesday, June 12, 2018, to the 900 block of N. Gilmore after receiving a report of an unresponsive child. The child had no detectable pulse and rescue crews performed CPR before she was flown to Tampa General Hospital.

According to hospital staff, Curry had "severe skull damage, markings resembling adult bite marks on her thigh, lacerations on her throat and bruising all over her body."

Curry died two days later.

Police said there were three other children in the home on June 12 -- ages 1, 3 and 4. The Department of Children and Families took the two youngest children into their custody. The other child was picked up by her mother.

Golden Jr., who called police to report that Curry was unresponsive, and Wren initially told police that Curry's injuries were because of two falls in which she hit her head.

Wren later admitted striking the child twice on the buttocks with a leather belt while she was standing a corner as punishment. She also believed that Golden Jr. struck the child with an unknown object while in the kitchen. The force of that strike sent the child to the floor.

Neighbors said they recalled seeing a large police presence in their apartment complex early last week, later discovering that Honesty Curry was killed inside one of the units.

"At first fear set in because if you can do that to a child what would you do to an adult? It's sad and kind of scary because you don't know who's living out here amongst you," neighbor Trudent Callaway said.

A Lakeland police spokeswoman said it’s one of the worst cases of abuse their detectives have seen.

"I can tell you that our detectives ... they won't forget it," Robin Tillett with the Lakeland Police Department said.