'He will never see her grow up': Tearful mother of George Floyd's daughter calls for justice

The distraught mother of George Floyd's daughter has spoken out publicly for the first time over his death.

During an emotional speech delivered to a press conference in Minneapolis on Tuesday night, Roxie Washington said she wanted "justice" for the father of her 6-year-old daughter, Gianna.

Mr Floyd, an African American, died in Minneapolis on May 25 after gasping for breath as a white police officer knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes.

The official post-mortem examination into his death resulted in it being declared a homicide . Derek Chauvin, the 44-year-old now-former officer who pinned Mr Floyd to the ground, was fired from the Minneapolis police department over the incident and charged with third-degree murder .

“I’m here for my baby, and I’m here for George, because I want justice for him,” Ms Washington, who was joined by her daughter, said before being overcome with emotion.

“I wanted everyone to know that this is what those officers took from...

“At the end of the day, they get to go home and be with their families. Gianna does not have a father. He will never see her grow up, graduate. He will never walk her down the aisle.

"If there's a problem she is having and she needs her dad, she doesn't have that anymore."

Pointing down to her daughter, Ms Washington added: "I want justice for him because he was good, no matter what anybody thinks, and this is the proof that he was a good man."

Ms Washington's emotional appeal came as an eight consecutive night of protests over Mr Floyd's death convulsed the United States on Tuesday evening .

In dozens of cities, including New York and Washington D.C., protesters defied curfews rolled out by authorities to take to the streets once again and stage largely peaceful demonstrations.

Mr Trump had earlier this week threatened to bring in the US military if the civil unrest - which has seen spates of vandalism and looting take place - continued, telling the nation he was the president of law and order.

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