Strong smell of bleach links uncle to his niece's death in Orlando, arrest affidavit says

ORLANDO, Fla. — An Orlando mother found her 9-year-old daughter foaming out of her nose and reeking of bleach while lying unconscious on the couch of their Millenia-area apartment in February.

Nearly four months later, officers arrested Tayanah Jean-Paul’s uncle, Bertholet Fify, and charged him with first-degree murder in connection with her death.

One of the things police said linked Fify to Tayanah's death was the smell of bleach emanating from Fify.

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According to an arrest affidavit, Fify could not explain why he smelled of bleach or why his shoes had bleach stains on them.

Investigators also said Fify’s statements regarding where he was and what he was wearing when Tayanah did not add up.

Police said surveillance cameras showed that Fify was the only other person in the apartment around the time of Tayanah's death.

They said surveillance cameras from around the city disproved multiple statements Fify made to detectives about his whereabouts.

The affidavit said Tayanah’s cause of death was strangulation.

Tayanah’s best friend, Asia Corbett, 12, told Channel 9 on Monday that her friend’s death has left a void in her life.

"She was a fun girl. She's nice. She's kind. She's sweet," she said. "When I found out she died, it made me cry, and it made me really sad, because she was my best friend."

Asia said she misses being able to talk to Tayanah whenever she felt lonely.

"She walked with me to school," she said. "She's just so sweet and so kind, and every time when I think about her, it makes me feel so sad."

Fify was arrested Friday. He is being held without bail at the Orange County Jail.

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