PHOENIX (CBS5) -
A 4-year-old girl allegedly beaten and physically abused by her mother and her mother's live-in boyfriend has died.
Toryn Buckman died late Thursday night, and her case will now be classified a homicide, according to Sgt. Tommy Thompson of the Phoenix Police Department.
Ashley Buckman, 22, the girl's mother, and James Edwards, 22, will face additional charges of homicide, Thompson said.
Toryn Buckman was hospitalized Wednesday night with injuries that indicated a cycle of physical abuse, according to court documents.
Thompson said the mother admitted hitting the child because she "soiled herself in bed" and because she was "acting naughty."
Toryn Buckman suffered whip marks, cuts and bruising all over her body, according to Thompson. Her injuries included numerous rib fractures in various stages of healing, according to court documents.
The child had also been scalded with hot water, beaten repeatedly and had stopped breathing before she was taken to the hospital, Thompson said.
Ashley Buckman admitted to beating her daughter with a clothes hangar, hitting her in the mouth and twisting her nipples until they bled over an extended period.
Original charges against Ashley Buckman included four counts of child abuse and an additional charge of failing to protect a minor, Thompson said.
Original charges against Edwards were two counts of child abuse and failure to protect a minor.
Detectives said Edwards was responsible for the scald marks on the little girl, and that he admitted to submerging her in a tub of scalding water several weeks ago, court documents show. He also told police he struck the girl with his hand and a remote control device to discipline her.
Edwards said he became aware of the abuse in November, but didn't report it to police.
Ashley Buckman and Edwards have a 1-year-old child together, but he is not the father of Toryn, police said.
Their child is now in custody of Child Protective Services.
The couple initially told police the girl was with someone else when the abuse occurred, then admitted the child had been in their care but minimized the degree to which the abuse happened, Thompson said.
Buckman and Edwards are in jail.
The investigation is ongoing, Thompson said.
The girl's family held a vigil in Phoenix Friday night.
Stay with cbs5az.com and CBS 5 News for updates on this case.
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Ashley Buckman, left, and James Edwards will now face homicide charges in the death of 4-year-old Toryn Buckman.
