NYC mom, 50, who brutally beat nine-year-old daughter to death is jailed for 15 years: Child pleaded 'mommy help me' before killer dropped bed on her head

A New York City mom who brutally beat her nine-year-old daughter to death with an electrical cord and a broom during an argument over a missing tablet has been sentenced to 15 years in prison. 

Shemene Cato, 50, was charged with killing her daughter, Shalom Guifarro, in the family's Crown Heights apartment in May 2022. 

She was pictured hanging her head while wearing a hair covering and brown jumpsuit during her sentencing in court on Friday. 

Prosecutors said Cato dropped a bed on her daughter, while she was hiding from her underneath it following a brutal beating. Shalom couldn't get up, was unresponsive, and died calling out, 'Mommy, help me.' Her older sister managed to sneak away to call 911 two hours after her sister's death. 

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced the 15-year-sentence on Friday, expressing his hope that the sentence would bring closure to those affected. 

Shemene Cato, 50, was charged with beating her daughter, Shalom Guifarro, to death in the family's Crown Heights apartment in May 2022

Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez announced the 15-year-sentence on Friday, expressing his hope that the sentence would bring closure to those affected

Shalom couldn't get up, was unresponsive, and died calling out, 'Mommy, help me.' Her older sister called the police two hours after her death

'The life of an innocent young girl was tragically and horrifically cut short at the hands of her own mother,' Gonzalez said in court. 

'Hopefully today's sentence allows for some closure for all who were deeply affected by this heart wrenching case.'

Cato allegedly waited two hours to call 911 after her daughter died on May 15. 

Police arrived at the scene in Crown Heights just after 1pm, and attempted to revive the girl - to no avail. 

The beating lasted for approximately two hours, at which time Shalom tried to escape the defendant by crawling under a bed. 

Her mother then lifted her bed and attempted to pull Shalom out from under it when it collapsed on top of her, causing internal bleeding. 

Her death was ruled a homicide, and NYPD officials said she had been strangled and bludgeoned multiple times, with bite marks on her back.

Cato was arrested and charged with murder, assault, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal possession of a weapon. The defendant pleaded guilty to manslaughter in October. 

She was pictured in court wearing a head covering and brown jumpsuit, hanging her head down as sentencing began.

Cato was arrested and charged with murder, assault, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal possession of a weapon. The defendant pleaded guilty to manslaughter in October 

Shalom couldn't get up, was unresponsive, and died calling out, 'Mommy, help me.' Her older sister called the police two hours after her death

Cato allegedly waited two hours to call 911 after her daughter died on May 15. Police arrived at the scene in Crown Heights just after 1pm, and attempted to revive the girl - to no avail

She was pictured being escorted by NYPD officers out of the 77th precinct in Brooklyn and into a cop car in May. 

The mother was shown wearing a parker coat with a beanie hat, and a face mask covering her nose an mouth.

The city's medical examiner's office said that Shalom had suffered multiple blunt-force trauma injuries, to her head, face, and body. 

The cause of death was blunt force trauma.

The defendant's 13-year-old daughter was taken to Brooklyn Hospital and treated for lacerations and contusions over her lower body.

Cato (pictured being escorted by NYPD officers) has been arrested and charged with murder, assault, endangering the welfare of a child and criminal possession of a weapon

Police arrived at the scene in Crown Heights just after 1pm, and attempted to revive Cato's daughter. Pictured: Cato, 48, is shown leaving the 77th precinct station in Brooklyn 

Shamaine Cato, 48, allegedly waited two hours to call 911 after her daughter Shalom Guifarro died on Sunday. Pictured: Cato is shown being escorted by police on Monday night

Bart Hubbuch, who owns Memphis Seoul, the ground-floor restaurant on Lincoln Place in the same building told The Times at the time of the murder that even police appeared to be wiping away tears because the scene was so grisly.

'They said it was a horrific crime scene,' Hubbuch told the newspaper.

Neighbors said that they frequently heard the mother screaming at the girls and a pit-bull mix dog that they kept in the apartment.

'She was crazy,' neighbor Rey Santiago told the Times. He said that he saw the mother shove and yell at her children.

Hubbuch told the New York Post that the daughters were 'very well-mannered' but Cato is another story.

'The mom is a nightmare though,' the restaurant owner told the paper. 'She was screaming at them. She had this little dog and was really skinny.' 

Inside the fourth-floor apartment of Shamaine Cato, 48, where her nine-year-old daughter was found dead with bite marks on her back

Detectives are investigating the death of nine-year-old Shalom Guifarro who was found in her family's Crown Heights home suffering from head trauma with bite marks on her back

Workers at the Memphis Seoul reported a foul odor like sewage coming from the apartment where the nine-year-old girl was found dead

Bart Hubbuch, the owner of the Memphis Seoul restaurant, said that Shamaine Cato was a 'nightmare' but her daughters were 'very well-mannered'

The scene were a nine-year-old girl was found dead was so grisly that police could be seen whipping away tears

The city's child welfare agency said at the time that state law prohibits releasing information on individual cases.

'We are investigating this case with the NYPD, and we have taken action to secure the safety of the other child in this home,' Administration for Children's Services spokesman Christopher Rucas said.

'This is so sad — that was a beautiful little girl,' Crown Heights local Flora Wilson, 51, told the newspaper. She said that she was friendly with the woman, who neighbors said worked as a helper assisting people sign up for social services.