UNIONTOWN, PA — The Fayette County District Attorney’s Office is pursuing the death penalty against a Uniontown couple accused of the brutal murder of a 2-year-old girl in October 2024, prosecutors confirmed.
Celia Nunn, 30, and her fiancé Emmanuel Dennis, 33, have been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Nunn’s daughter, Margaret “Maggie” Nunn. Prosecutors allege the toddler was beaten and tortured over several days before she died at the family’s home in Menallen Township.
Court records show that prosecutors last week filed a formal Notice of Aggravating Circumstances, a required step to seek capital punishment under Pennsylvania law. The two aggravating factors cited are the victim’s age and evidence of torture.
According to investigators, Dennis repeatedly inflicted fatal beatings on the child while Nunn failed to intervene or seek medical attention. Authorities say she knew of the abuse and chose not to alert law enforcement, fearing legal repercussions.
Emergency responders arrived at the home to find Maggie face down with vomit on her mouth. The Fayette County Coroner determined the child had been deceased for at least 12 hours before medics were called.
District attorney: victim suffered “for days, if not weeks”
“This child was suffering from internal injuries, for days, if not weeks prior to her passing,” said Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele.
Aubele confirmed that motions were filed to include aggravating circumstances, including torture. “This child was suffering. Within her final days, she couldn’t even sit up straight but the parents were continuing to punish her, continue to put her in time out and knew they needed to get help for her but thought they’d get in trouble if they did,” he said.
Key Points
- Fayette County prosecutors are seeking the death penalty in the murder of 2-year-old Margaret “Maggie” Nunn.
- Celia Nunn and Emmanuel Dennis are accused of beating and torturing the child over several days.
- Aggravating factors include the victim’s age and the nature of the torture she endured.