|
Ashanti Givens
|
Givenchy Stewart
|
Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes announces that Ashanti Givens, 21 years-old from
Paterson, New Jersey, and Givenchy Stewart, 21 years-old from Paterson, New Jersey, were indicted
in relation to the May 6, 2025, homicide investigation of a 4-year-old girl in Paterson, New Jersey.
The indictment charges Ashanti Givens with first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree
endangering the welfare of a child, and third-degree hindering apprehension. Givenchy Stewart is
charged in the same indictment with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and third-degree hindering.
At approximately 8:45 p.m. on May 6, 2025, members of the Paterson Police Department were
dispatched to the area of Pearl Street and Carroll Street in Paterson, New Jersey on a report of an
unresponsive 4-year-old child. Upon arrival, police located the child who was subsequently
transported to Saint Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey. The child was
pronounced deceased at 9:33 p.m. The initial investigation revealed that Stewart, the child’s
biological father, and his girlfriend, Givens, had left the child unattended in an apartment in Paterson
for significant periods of time on May 5 and May 6, 2026. On May 12, 2025, members of the Passaic
County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit arrested Givens and Stewart and charged them
respectively with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and third-degree hindering. An
autopsy later revealed that the cause of the child’s death was blunt force trauma, and the manner of
death was deemed to be homicide. Based on the investigation conducted by the Passaic County
Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit, it was determined that Ashanti Givens was responsible
for the child’s death, and she was charged with first-degree murder and an additional count of
second-degree endangering the welfare of a child. On August 6, 2025, a Passaic County Grand Jury
returned an indictment, formally charging Givens and Stewart for their roles in the incident.
The sentencing exposure on first-degree murder is thirty years to life in New Jersey State Prison; on
each count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child it is 5 to 10 years in New Jersey
State Prison; and on third-degree hindering it is 3 to 5 years in New Jersey State Prison.
The Honorable Scott T. Rumana, J.S.C. ordered both Givens and Stewart to remain detained pending
trial. Ashanti Givens and Givenchy Stewart are both scheduled for arraignment before the Honorable
Marybel Mercado-Ramirez, J.S.C. on September 8, 2025.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, defendants are presumed
innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office asks anyone with additional information about this incident
or other incidents regarding this individual to contact us on our tips line at 1-877-370-PCPO.
