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Body of girl, 9, found after complaints of foul stench above restaurant

A nine-year-old girl was found dead in a New York apartment after restaurant workers complained of a foul stench coming from the residence above.

Shalom Guifarro lived above the Memphis Seoul restaurant in Brooklyn with her sister and mum, who has since been arrested, according to reports.

The young girl was found with severe trauma to the head and suspected bite marks on her back, local media reported. It's not yet known how the injuries occurred.

Emergency service workers pronounced the girl dead at the scene.

 Memphis Seoul restaurant in Brooklyn with police car
The girl, 9, lived above a restaurant in Brooklyn with her sister and mum. Source: CBS News

The girl's 48-year-old mother was arrested on Monday afternoon and taken for questioning following the discovery of the body.

The woman faces charges of murder, manslaughter, assault, endangering the welfare of a child and weapon possession in the death of her daughter, The Independent reports.

Smell 'like sewage' coming from apartment

The young girl's body was discovered after restaurant owner Bart Hubbuch called the landlord and the building superintendent.

His staff reported a bad smell "almost like sewage dripping into the restaurant from the apartment".

At around 2pm (local time), police arrived to find the nine-year-old unresponsive.

Police had previously responded to more than a dozen domestic disturbance reports at the apartment where the family lived, according to the New York Post.

Mr Hubbuch said the two girls were always "polite and well mannered", but "the mum was a nightmare" and was "always screaming at those kids".

Neighbours reportedly told police they have heard "constant arguing" coming from the family’s apartment.

"Everyone in the building is so nice and calm, but we all knew that apartment was trouble," one said.

Police reportedly removed two dogs in crates from the home

A New York Police Department spokesperson told the media the investigation is still ongoing.

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