Man enters Alford plea in girl's death

astewart@potomacnews.com

A Woodbridge man charged with second-degree murder in the beating death of his girlfriend's 3-year-old daughter has entered a plea to a lesser charge.

Fateh Shafeek, 31, entered an Alford plea to involuntary manslaughter in late February, according to documents filed in Prince William Circuit Court this week.

In an Alford plea, the defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict him.

Shafeek was accused of beating his girlfriend's 3-year-old daughter, Nevaeh Wanzer, to death in August 2006.

During a September 2007 trial, a jury found Shafeek guilty of felony child abuse and not guilty of felony homicide in Nevaeh's death.

The jury was deadlocked on the third charge, second-degree murder.

A new trial on that charge was set for August. But on Feb. 21, Shafeek instead entered an Alford plea for that charge, according to court records.

During the September trial, prosecutors argued that Shafeek inflicted life-threatening injuries on Nevaeh. His attorneys argued that it was Nevaeh's mother, Sharee Wanzer who did that.

On Aug. 13, 2006, Shafeek punished Nevaeh for cutting her younger half-sister's hair, prosecutors said during the trial.

He put the 3-year-old in a walk-in closet and told her to stand in the corner until she could think of a reason why she did cut her sister's hair, prosecutors said.

When he went back to the closet 10 to 15 minutes later he found the child leaning against a box in the closet, instead of standing in the corner, according to court testimony.

Prosecutors said that's when Shafeek got angry and began hitting the girl.

In his September trial, Shafeek testified that it was the girl's mother, not he, who hit Nevaeh that day.

According to an autopsy report filed in Prince William Circuit, Nevaeh died of blunt impact and shaking injuries to the head, compression injuries to the neck, and blunt impact to the torso.

In November, Circuit Court judge LeRoy Millette sentenced Shafeek to serve 10 years in prison for felony child abuse.

According to a plea agreement filed in Prince William Circuit Court, prosecutors are recommending that Shafeek be sentenced to 10 years in prison, with eight years suspended, for involuntary manslaughter.

Shafeek's sentencing hearing is set for May 1.

Staff writer Amanda Stewart can be reached at 703-878-8014 or astewart@potomacnews.com.