In addition to murder, Spc. Naeem J. Williams, 25, was charged with conspiracy, making a false official statement, aggravated assault, assault upon a child and obstruction of justice.

If convicted, Williams faces a maximum sentence of life in a military prison, the Army said.

His daughter, Talia Williams, died July 16 of "inflicted head trauma due to battered child syndrome," the Honolulu Medical Examiner's Office said.

The child's stepmother, Delilah Williams, was charged July 18 with first-degree murder. Naeem Williams has been in military custody since his daughter's death.

The case has raised questions about how authorities responded to allegations that Talia was being abused. According to Delilah Williams' court-appointed lawyer, the military received at least two reports that Talia was being abused, one from her pre-school, another from a neighbor. In addition, state child welfare officials have acknowledged they received an anonymous report that Talia was being abused, but said they received insufficient information to locate the child.

Now that Naeem Williams has been charged, the next step under the military justice system is an Article 32 hearing, the Army said. His lawyers will be able to present evidence and cross examine witnesses during the proceedings, according to the Army. No date for the hearing has been set.

Because she is a civilian, Delilah Williams is being prosecuted by the U.S. attorney general's office. Charged with first-degree murder, she faces the death penalty or life in prison under federal sentencing guidelines. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Purpura has not said if he will seek the death penalty.

Several attempts to reach Talia's biological mother, Tarshia Williams, were unsuccessful yesterday.

According to documents filed in federal court, Delilah Williams told Army investigators that her husband spanked Talia with a belt on July 16 for wetting herself and struck her later that day after she wet herself again. During the second beating, the child hit her head on the floor and lost consciousness. The Williamses initially delayed calling 911 but when they did and emergency medical personnel arrived, Talia had no pulse, the documents said.

Delilah Williams told investigators the girl had been hit daily since April or March by Naeem Williams for wetting herself. Delilah Williams told investigators she also hit the girl, but she stopped in March or April because Talia began retaliating by grabbing the belt and digging her nails into Delilah's arm, according to the documents.

Delilah Williams' attorney has said that his client and others reported abuse to military police or Army officials in the months leading up to Talia's death. None of the incidents were reported to the state Department of Human Services despite an agreement between the state and the military that requires the Army to report all incidents of abuse.

In the most recent incident, MPs responded to the Williams' apartment July 4 after a neighbor complained of abuse, Delilah Williams' attorney, Alexander Silvert said Tuesday. The MPs entered the home, questioned Talia, and left.