Twenty-one-year-old Shamsid-Din Abdur-Raheem appeared composed during his video arraignment Thursday in Newark. He is charged with kidnapping, attempted murder, aggravated assault and child endangerment.
The child's mother watched in court but had no visible reaction. Officials say she had sought a restraining order against Abdur-Raheem.
Officials say he snatched Zara Malani-lin Abdur from her grandmother Tuesday and told them he threw the girl off a river bridge.
Search teams have found no sign of the baby. State Police Sgt. Julian Castellanos says the mission is still a rescue attempt even though the odds of a baby surviving this long are slim.