The suspended New Jersey police officer and his wife charged earlier this year in the death of their 3-month old daughter have both been indicted, officials said Friday.

Daniel Bannister, 31, was indicted on a murder charge while Catherine Bannister, 29 was indicted on a charge of reckless manslaughter, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement Friday. Both Ewing residents are also charged with child endangerment.

Bannister was first charged with just child endangerment before prosecutors later added the more serious charge.

Their infant daughter, Hailey Bannister, died six days after going into cardiac arrest on Dec. 5, 2018. The baby was found to have a fractured skull, brain bleeding and had multiple fractured ribs, authorities said.

An autopsy determined Hailey died from blunt-force trauma to the head following what authorities described as a “pattern of abuse.” Her wounds revealed ongoing injuries, visible from nine skull fractures, some of which showed signs of healing, authorities said.

That led investigators to determine she had been hit multiple times on different dates, according to the documents. There were also signs she had been shaken, and four ribs fractured weeks before her death.

In a text from Oct. 4, when Hailey would have been just over a month old, Catherine Bannister confronted Daniel Bannister about bruising around the baby’s mouth that allegedly came from him pressing his finger against her mouth to stop her from crying.

A screenshot of the GoFundMe campaign started to help the Bannisters shows Hailey, the infant who was allegedly murdered by her father, an Ewing police officer. The campaign raised more than $17,000 following the baby's hospitalization and death. (Screenshot)

Days later, she texted a friend who worked as a pediatric nurse about Daniel Bannister’s abusive behavior toward their daughter, but asked her not to report it. She told the friend she had told her husband he was “abusive” and couldn’t touch the infant again unless he took a class on early childhood development, according to the charging document.

The friend offered Catherine Bannister and the children a place to stay, urging her to get away from her husband.

On Nov. 1, Catherine Bannister took a photo of bruising on Hailey’s ribs, and sent it to Daniel Bannister while at a doctor’s appointment.

“Hopefully doctor won’t see,” she allegedly texted.

A doctor later pinned the date of Hailey’s fatal head injuries as Nov 23, the day after Thanksgiving. Alleged texts confirmed Daniel Bannister was home alone with the children that morning.

Daniel Bannister remains jailed, while his wife was freed in July. The Ewing police officer has been suspended without pay since his arrest.

Catherine Bannister taught taught kindergarten at Foundation Academies in Trenton. In May, the school’s board voted not to renew her contract.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman.

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