Manahawkin Man Guilty Of Sexual Assault, Murder Of 23-Month-Old

CAMDEN, NJ — A Manahawkin man has been convicted by a jury for the 2016 sexual assault and homicide of his girlfriend's 23-month-old child, authorities said

Michael Disporto, 29, was found guilty of first-degree murder and aggravated sexual assault in connection with the death of the child referred to as A.S., Camden County Prosecutor Grace C. MacAulay and Gloucester City Police Chief Brian Morrell said.

Disporto, who was not the girl's father, faces a life sentence, MacAulay and Morrell said.

Gloucester City police responded to a report of an unresponsive child on July 3, 2016, authorities said.

A.S. was taken to Cooper University Hospital, where she was found to have suffered "extensive injuries" and showed signs of being sexually abused, authorities said.

She succumbed to her injuries two days later. Her death was ruled a homicide and the cause of death was blunt force trauma, officials said.

Disporto and the girl's mother, Amber Bobo, had been dating for two weeks before the child's death, according to officials.

The two picked up her child from the biological father’s house and took her to Bobo’s home in Gloucester City on July 2, 2016, according to a probable cause statement. Later that night, Disporto took the girl to the park and the fireworks by himself, spending about 45 minutes alone with her in an effort to "get to know her better." Bobo said she was too tired to go with them.

Police say Disporto sexually assaulted the girl, and convinced Bobo not to take her to a hospital after she noticed bruising on her body, or after she vomited several times over the next few days.

Bobo eventually took her daughter to the hospital, where she underwent immediate brain surgery. Following the surgery, she was examined for brain activity twice on July 5. Doctors said there was no brain activity either time before she was taken off life support at 6:26 p.m. that day.

This article contains additional reporting by former Patch reporter Anthony Bellano.