By Ivan Pereira
The Jamaica father who killed his girlfriend and her unborn boy on his due date three years ago was convicted last Thursday of her murder, the Queens district attorney said.
A jury found Derrick W. Redd, 38, of 87-05 166th St., guilty of second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon and second-degree abortion charges after the 14-day trial ended, Queens DA Richard Brown said.
Redd stabbed his girlfriend, Niasha DeLain, 20 to 30 times in her torso Oct. 25, 2008, on the day their son, Aidan, was supposed to be born, Brown said.
“It is incomprehensible that this defendant would unleash such a vicious attack on his girlfriend and his unborn child on the date the baby was expected to come into the world — which also happened to be the birthday of the victim’s father. What should have been a joyous day has been forever changed into an occasion of grief,” he said in a statement.
Redd and DeLain, 25, were not living together at the time of her death and her family said the two had problems over the baby. DeLain’s mother became concerned when she did not hear from her that day and called Redd for help, not knowing he had killed her, according to the DA.
The two went to her apartment at Lefferts Boulevard and 109th Street and found her dead body, Brown said. DeLain’s family long suspected that Redd was involved in the killing, especially since he did not attend DeLain’s funeral, said Brown.
He was arrested two weeks later, the DA said.
A sentencing date has been scheduled for Nov. 22, when Reed faces up to 25 years to life in prison, according to Brown.
“The defendant could have walked away and left this young woman and her unborn child, but instead he unleashed a brutal attack. He must be sentenced to the maximum time in prison in order to punish him and to protect society,” he said.
DeLain’s family has been pushing for the passage of the Unborn Victim of Violence Act in Albany, which would treat killing a pregnant woman as two murders. The bill is still being worked out in the state Legislature.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4546.
