By Ivan Pereira
After more than three weeks of investigating, prosecutors charged a Jamaica man Tuesday in the murder of his pregnant girlfriend on the day she was set to give birth, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
Derek Redd, 35 of 87−05 166th St., was arrested Monday and arraigned Tuesday in Queens Criminal court in the death of Niasha Delain and her unborn child, the DA said. Delain, 25, who was nine months pregnant, was stabbed multiple times in the neck, arms and torso and the fetus six times on Oct. 25 inside her South Ozone Park apartment, according to the DA.
“What should have been a most joyous occasion for the victim and her family, the defendant is accused of turning into one of unbelievable sorrow,” Brown said in a statement.
Redd was charged with second−degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon and second−degree abortional act, the DA’s office said. Queens Criminal Court Judge Ira Margulis ordered him to return to court Friday.
Her relatives said Redd was the father of the baby, which Brown said was due on the day she was murdered. If convicted, Redd faces up to 25 years to life in prison, according to the DA.
On Oct. 25, Delain’s mother grew concerned after she had not heard from her daughter and tried calling her phone, Brown said. When she got no response, she asked Redd to let her into her daughter’s first floor apartment at 109−57 Lefferts Blvd. where they both discovered the corpse around 7:40 p.m., the DA said.
Delain’s mother, who lives in Far Rockaway, were unavailable for comment, but a family friend and former boss said they were elated over the arrest. Jose Rivera, who was Delain’s former manager at John F. Kennedy International Airport’s Terminal 4, said his former employee’s mother had called him Monday “with the good news.”
The family had long suspected Redd was involved in Delain’s murder and grew more suspicious when he did not attend her funeral two weeks ago, according to Rivera.
He said Delain’ mother was set to dismantle a candlelight memorial that has been placed in front of the crime scene this weekend.
“She said we’re going to go there Sunday to take everything down, because now we can rest,” Rivera said.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e−mail at ipereira@timesledger.com or by phone at 718−229−0300, Ext. 146.
