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14-year-old girl taken off life support after Terrytown hammer attack, grandfather says

The alleged attacker is expected to be booked with an additional first-degree murder charge if the coroner’s office notifies them that Nashawna has died.

NEW ORLEANS — A 14-year-old girl who was declared 'brain dead' following a brutal hammer attack in Terrytown last week has been taken off life support, her grandfather told Eyewitness News. 

The girl's grandfather, Emmett Rhodes, told Eyewitness News on Tuesday night that 14-year-old Nashawna Riley had been taken off of life support after the attack that initially left one woman and two other children dead.

Jefferson Parish Coroner Gerry Cvitanovich's office could not confirm that information Tuesday night, but was able to confirm the information Wednesday morning. 

Family members tell Eyewitness News that Nashawna was declared brain dead at the hospital Monday. She was one of two girls in critical condition following the attack at a West Monterey Court apartment last week.

Cvitanovich said his office was notified that one of two girls hospitalized since the attack was declared brain dead. He could not confirm the victim's name or age because the body had not yet been released to the coroner's office.

RELATED: 'Pure evil': Sheriff says man killed children with hammer, waited in home to kill girlfriend

Authorities say 33-year-old Terrance Leonard confessed to striking four children with a hammer while they slept, killing two and critically injuring two others. He then allegedly hid two of the children in a closet and waited for Kristina Riley to come home before also attacking and killing her.

Leonard was booked on three counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. He remained jailed Monday night with no bail set on the first-degree murder charges.

A spokesperson for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said Leonard is expected to be booked with an additional first-degree murder charge if the coroner’s office notifies them that Nashawna has died.

RELATED: Cafe holds fundraiser to help victims of Terrytown hammer attack

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Stay with Eyewitness New on WWL-TV and WWLTV.com for more on this developing story.

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