The New Jersey man charged with killing his 2-year-old daughter and tossing her into a park creek, still strapped into her car seat, appeared in a Monmouth County court this afternoon.

A heavy security presence was reported ahead of the first New Jersey court appearance for Arthur Morgan III. He was arrested Tuesday in San Diego, and agreed to return to his home state to stand trial.

Morgan is charged with the murder of Tierra Morgan-Glover, whose body was found Nov. 22 in a creek at Shark River Park in Wall Township. Prosecutors claim Morgan attached a car jack to the seat to weigh it down. The prosecutor also claims that Morgan was fired from his job a week prior to the incident and gave away his clothes and car before he fled.

He had picked the child up from her mother's house in Lakehurst, but failed to return her, prompting her to call police.

Besides the murder charge, the 27-year-old is also charged with custody violation and interstate flight to avoid apprehension. Morgan's bail has been kept at $10 million. AP wire services contributed to this report.

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