Asinate Leba Marau (Jail photo)

KILLEEN (June 11, 2012)—Three-and-a-half-year-old Josephine Leba Marau of Killeen, who was beaten nearly to death earlier this month, was in fair condition Monday at Scott & White Children’s Hospital,

Her mother, Asinate Leba Marau, 23, of Killeen, remains in the Bell County Jail in lieu of $200,000, charged with injury to a child in the attack on June 7.

Doctors told investigators that the girl suffered life-threatening injuries including a skull fracture, brain injury, pulmonary contusion and said “it was unclear whether the child would survive,” according to an affidavit submitted for the warrant on which Asinate Marau was arrested.

According to the arrest warrant affidavit, a woman who identified herself as Marau called 911 and told the operator “she had beat her daughter about 15 minutes ago and that she was going to jail because she had beat the crap out of her daughter.”

Officers dispatched to 2210 Cimmaron Dr. in response to the call said Marau told them the girl would not stop crying so “she struck her in the face and kicked her in the stomach, causing her to fall to the ground,” the affidavit said.

The officer observed that both of Marau’s hands were swollen, the affidavit said.