Death sentence upheld for Miami man who threw girl into Everglades | Miami Herald

The Florida Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the conviction and death sentence for a Miami man who killed a 5-year-old girl and threw her into the Everglades to be eaten by alligators.

Harrel Franklin Braddy, 63, was convicted in 2007 of the slaying of Quatisha Maycock and the attempted murder of her mother.

Back in November 1998, Braddy kidnapped Shandelle Maycock and her young daughter from a North Miami-Dade apartment building. He choked Shandelle and left her on the side of a deserted stretch of U.S. 27 in Palm Beach County.

Then, Braddy — fearing the little girl could identify him to police — dumped Quatisha on the side of Alligator Alley. He led police to the area, but they did not find her body.

Two fisherman later discovered Quatisha’s badly mangled corpse. An autopsy revealed that she had likely been alive when alligators ate her.

His lawyers has asked justices to reverse the conviction and sentence based on a host of legal reasons, including that trial judge improperly allowed in certain evidence. Justices denied his claims.

Braddy had a long history of felony convictions, including attempted murder of a corrections officer and kidnapping an elderly couple.