Kentucky Man Pleads Guilty to Murder in Death of 9-Month-Old Daughter

Syied Epps, 31, smashed his infant daughter's head in front of her siblings in Lexington, Ky. He pleaded guilty to murder; prosecutors recommend 25 years.

Lexington Father Pleads Guilty After Infant Daughter Dies of Head Trauma

A Lexington, Kentucky man has pleaded guilty to murder after fatally striking his 9-month-old daughter on the head in the presence of her siblings, Law & Crime reports, citing jail records and local court coverage.

Syied Malik-Kawon Epps, 31, was charged with murder related to domestic violence in connection with the death of Sy'kia Epps. Prosecutors are recommending a 25-year prison sentence. Epps is scheduled to be sentenced on July 1.

On July 26, 2023, Lexington Police Department officers responded to a residence on Whitney Avenue after Sy'kia was taken to a hospital with life-threatening brain trauma. When police arrived, Epps told them his daughter had been injured while in the care of a babysitter. He provided only a first name for the caregiver and, according to Lexington Police Detective Paul Hogan's court testimony, "couldn't provide last name, phone number, anything other than a physical description."

Security camera footage obtained by investigators placed Epps at the home during the relevant time frame. Detectives then spoke with three children who were present in the residence.

"All three stated that Mr. Epps had dropped their sister on her head," Hogan testified, per CBS affiliate WKYT. One of the children told investigators: "Daddy smashed her on her head really hard and she was upside down."

Investigators also established that Epps had been in a heated argument with the children's mother while she was at work. During that exchange, Epps reportedly threatened the children. Hogan recalled that Epps "stated he needed to come get her 'roaches,' referring to the children, and that if she was home one minute late from work, they would be waiting out on the porch."

Epps was arrested on July 27, 2023, initially on an assault charge. Sy'kia died four days after the incident, and the charge was subsequently upgraded to murder. Local Fox affiliate WDKY reported that Epps has since entered a guilty plea.

Lexington is a city of more than 300,000 residents located in central Kentucky.

Source: Law & Crime