Thornton’s daughter charged in child’s death

Thornton’s daughter charged in child’s death

OCOEE, Fla. — Billy Bob Thornton’s estranged daughter told investigators a 1-year-old girl who died in her care acted normally and ate bananas after she fell from a playpen and hit her head, according to documents released Monday.

But detectives believe Amanda Brumfield’s story was inconsistent with the girl’s injuries and she was charged Friday with child neglect causing harm or disability. Brumfield, 29, was released Monday from jail, according to a spokeswoman from the Orange County Corrections Department.

Arnold Robinson, Thornton’s publicist, said the actor hasn’t spoken to Brumfield for “a substantial number of years.”

According to the charging affidavit, Brumfield said her goddaughter, Olivia Garcia, fell from a playpen, hit her head and bit her tongue Oct. 3 in her Ocoee home. The girl seemed normal after the fall. More than two hours later, Brumfield noticed she was limp in the playpen.

An autopsy determined the girl had a fractured skull and brain injury. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide and said Brumfield’s explanation was inconsistent with the child’s injuries, police said.

Brumfield’s mother, Melissa Parish, married Thornton in 1978. The two divorced in 1980.

O.J.’s memorabilia finds a new home

LOS ANGELES — The footballs, jerseys and photographs that landed O.J. Simpson in prison have a new home at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

Sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore says memorabilia Simpson claimed he was trying to retrieve from a Las Vegas hotel room arrived Friday. The hotel confrontation led to Simpson’s conviction for armed robbery and kidnapping.

Sheriff’s officials are waiting to hear from Fred Goldman before deciding what to do with the items. They could be auctioned to help settle a wrongful-death judgment Goldman and others won against Simpson in 1997.

Simpson was acquitted in criminal court of the 1994 murders of Goldman’s son, Ronald, and Simpson’s ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, but was found liable for their deaths in civil court.

Today’s birthdays

Actor Stacy Keach is 68. Drummer Charlie Watts of the Rolling Stones is 68. Composer Marvin Hamlisch is 65. Actor Jerry Mathers is 61. Comedian Dana Carvey is 54. Drummer Fabrizio Moretti of The Strokes is 29.