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Dad Bludgeons 7-Year-Old Daughter With Weight And Leaves Note Saying Family Got What They Deserved

Jeffrey Mancuso killed his child and himself because his ex-wife wanted custody.

When a 7-year-old girl who was left at her father’s home for weekend visitation did not return to her mother’s home on Monday morning, they feared the worst had happened. When family then went to the home of her dad, who had a history of violence, their fears were confirmed; she was dead.

Jeff Mancuso, who lived in the Manayunk section of Philadelphia, had custody of his young daughter, Kayden Mancuso, from 10 p.m. Saturday to Sunday at 6 p.m., according to WPVI. However, Kayden’s mother had been fighting for sole custody for her daughter and even taken out a restraining order against Jeff, reported ABC News.

When Kayden had not come back to her mother’s home, her family, including stepfather, went to Jeff Mancuso’s house to conduct a check.

“When they reached out to the police after she was never returned home, they were told that ‘she was probably just out with her father,’ and that they were unable to do anything without a warrant,” a GoFundMe Page for the family read. “Following their instincts, her step father and grandfather went back to the house of her biological father.”

They found both the 7-year-old and her father dead in an apparent murder-suicide. According to medical examiners, Kayden had been hit over the head with a heavy weight and then had a bag placed over her head.

Heather Giglio, Kayden’s aunt, said Jeffrey Mancuso penned a vengeful note that he left on his daughter’s body.

“It said we got what we deserved and he had the final say — something along those lines,” she told the Philadelphia Inquirer.

This tragedy is something that Kayden’s family had always feared would happen.

“We knew this was gonna happen one day,” Giglio told WPVI. “We just prayed it wouldn’t.”

Although Jeff Mancuso had been charged with aggravated assault in the past and his daughter feared being around him, he still had partial weekend custody. Giglio told Fox29 that the murder-suicide was made possible because the judicial system “treated my sister like she was just this bitter woman who didn’t like her ex.”

“Like she just wanted to get back at her ex,” she continued. “She knew he was dangerous. We knew he was violent.”

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