Florida father convicted in beating death of daughter

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) – A Jacksonville jury needed just 20 minutes to convict a former high school teacher in the death of his 4-year-old daughter.

The verdict handed down Wednesday means 32-year-old John Ross Norfleet will likely spend the rest of his life in prison for the January 2015 death of Jada Norfleet.

Prosecutors say Norfleet and the girl’s step-mother, 34-year-old Shavonn Chanyell Norfleet, disciplined the child by hitting her with a piece of lumber.

John Norfleet was convicted on charges of first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter of a small child and aggravated child abuse.

The Florida Times-Union (bit.ly/1LAXdIx) reports Shayvonn Norfleet is scheduled for trial Thursday on the same charges.

Norfleet lost his teaching job after his arrest.