Man pleads not guilty to throwing his 3-month-old daughter off bridge

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NEWARK, New Jersey (AP) — A man pleaded not guilty Thursday after police say he told them he threw his 3-month-old daughter off a bridge, as searchers and relatives held out hope that the infant might still be found alive.

Shamsid-Din Abdur-Raheem, 21, appeared composed during his arraignment in New Jersey via video link from jail, where he is being held on $700,000 cash bail. Public defender Regina Lynch entered the plea on his behalf.

Abdur-Raheem is charged with attempted murder on accusations that he assaulted the baby’s maternal grandmother after showing up at her home and snatching the girl, Zara Malani-lin Abdur, from her arms Tuesday afternoon. He is also charged with kidnapping, two assault counts and child endangerment.

Police say Abdur-Raheem forced his way into the grandmother’s apartment around 4 p.m. Tuesday, striking her in the face, choking her and pulling the baby from her arms before fleeing in a van.

The 60-year-old grandmother, whom police declined to identify, chased after Abdur-Raheem and was struck when she tried to stop him by throwing herself in the path of his vehicle, authorities said. Abdur-Raheem then headed toward southern New Jersey, and police say he told them he tossed the child from the Driscoll Bridge over the Raritan River, on his way.

Search teams using boats, helicopters and dogs found no sign of the baby as the search entered its third day Thursday. State Police Sgt. Julian Castellanos said the mission was still a rescue attempt even though the odds of a baby surviving that long were slim.