Former NFL Player Sentenced to Life for Murder of Girlfriend's Daughter

Cierre Wood, a former NFL running back, was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday for the 2019 death of his girlfriend's five-year-old daughter, La’Rayah Davis, at his Las Vegas apartment. Wood, 33, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and felony child abuse as part of a plea deal with prosecutors. He will be eligible for parole after serving 10 years of his life sentence, and he was also ordered to serve an additional 28 months to six years for the child abuse charge, with both sentences to be served consecutively. La’Rayah was found unresponsive on April 9, 2019, and later died from severe injuries, including a lacerated liver and multiple broken ribs. According to court records, Wood had subjected the child to physical punishment, forcing her to perform strenuous exercises under the guise of discipline. The child's mother, Amy Taylor, also pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and felony child abuse earlier this year, admitting to using excessive force in disciplining her daughter. The tragic case has drawn attention to the circumstances surrounding La’Rayah's death, with her father, Daunan Davis, expressing heartbreak over the loss of his daughter, who he described as having touched many lives despite her young age. Wood, who had a brief NFL career and played in the Canadian Football League, entered an Alford plea, allowing him to maintain his innocence while acknowledging the evidence against him.