VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The father of a 2-year-old girl who was found dead at a Virginia Beach hotel earlier this week is speaking out.
Virginia Beach police found the girl's body at a hotel on Atlantic Avenue Monday morning, along with her mother, Leandra Andrade, who was having a medical emergency.
It all comes after Andrade fled D.C. with her daughter late last week after losing a custody battle for the child.
In court Wednesday, a judge arraigned Andrade with a Class 4 felony.
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Now, the toddler's father, Fabio Andrade Jr., released a public statement through his legal representation:
My daughter Lanoix loved life and loved to make her friends and family smile. I am devastated that the opportunity for Lanoix to continue living a happy and loving life was senselessly taken from her.
I have been fighting tirelessly since March of this year for full physical and legal custody in order to provide my daughter the life she deserved. The court ruling last week awarding me temporary sole legal custody was one of several successful steps toward that goal. But that ruling did not affect the existing, court-ordered temporary shared physical custody schedule that put Lanoix with her mother last weekend.
The family and friends of Lanoix ask for privacy at this time so that we may mourn our beloved angel.