Sean Hernandez, aka Raafi Gorham, faces multiple charges, including murder, in the death of Key'Monnie Bean, who was found unresponsive Dec. 8 in the basement of a house on South Beechwood Street.
Authorities said the child, who loved dancing and her unicorn blanket, suffered severe injuries.
"She was severely beaten and suffered severe significant injuries all over her body," said Ashely Kozlowski, the assistant district attorney. "There is also an indication that perhaps this was an ongoing situation that unfortunately this little girl had to endure."
2 men in custody in connection with toddler's death in South Philadelphia
District Attorney Larry Krasner announced the charges Thursday during an emotional news conference, at times wiping away tears.
"You don't have to be a parent," Krasner said. "We should be outraged at what happened to this 2-year-old."
Investigators said Hernandez was the mother's boyfriend and allegedly beat the child while the mother was in the home. She is not facing charges. Two other people, 20-year-old Alycia McNeill and 21-year-old Anthony Lowrie, are charged with lying to police about what happened.
The girl's father, TaShaun Walls, shared videos with Action News as he grapples with the loss of his little girl. He spoke to us through FaceTime.
"She was like everybody's favorite because of how she was. She was just always loving. She always wanted to hug, play around," he said.
The child's mother has custody, but Walls usually visits with her weekly. He got the news last week that Key'Monnie had been killed.
"Never ever got in trouble. She was really a good girl. I'm still mind blown on the incident and everything else," said Walls.
We also spoke to family on Key'Monnie's mother's side, who did not want to go on camera, but said, "Our hearts are heavy. We want to give a special thank you to the Philadelphia Police Department for acting as quickly as they did."
Authorities are awaiting the medical examiner's final report on the exact cause of death. Hernandez was on probation for theft charges in Bucks County at the time of the incident.
"What could a 2-year-old do to deserve this? The answer is nothing," Kozlowski said.