Talia's remains were turned over to the 25th Infantry Division (Light) casualty officer, who will make the arrangements to fly Talia's body to her mother, Tarshia Williams, in Orangeburg, S.C., said city spokesman Bill Brennan. The girl's mother said she expects to have her daughter home by tomorrow.

"I'm excited to have her so I can put her to rest and give her a proper burial," Tarshia Williams said.

Talia died July 16 after she was beaten in her Wheeler Army Airfield apartment. The girl died of head trauma "due to battered child syndrome," an autopsy showed.

Talia's father, Army Spc. Naeem Williams, and her stepmother, Delilah Williams, have been charged with murder. Naeem Williams had been granted legal custody of the girl last December.

Once the autopsy was completed, the medical examiner had been prepared to release Talia's body to her biological mother. But on July 25, Army Maj. John Hyatt, Naeem Williams' lawyer, told the medical examiner that his client was not relinquishing custody rights and wanted a second autopsy.

Three days later, Hyatt withdrew the request and agreed to release Talia to her mother. But the legal problems didn't end there because city attorneys said a court order was needed for the city to recognize an order from an Orangeburg court that authorized Tarshia Williams to take custody of her daughter's body.

That matter was resolved with the help of Honolulu attorney Mark Davis, Brennan said.

"We worked with him and came to this agreement that satisfies everybody's needs and allowed for the release today," Brennan said.

Tarshia Williams said she has made the funeral arrangements, but she has yet to set a date because of the legal matters.

"I've done set her funeral three, four times, and I know (Talia has) already been released, but I just want to make sure she's here before I set a date," she said.

Williams said there is one thing she must do before she buries her daughter.

"I've heard things about how she looked and everything, but now it's time for me to see her for my own," Williams said. "I remember the beautiful girl that I had. She's always going to be beautiful to me, but I'm afraid to see what he's done to her. I'm prepared for the worst."