Father charged with daughter’s murder ‘smashed her on the head,’ Lexington detective says
A man charged with killing his 9-month-old daughter dropped and smashed her on the head at the family’s residence, according to a Lexington police detective.
Syied Epps, 28, appeared in Fayette District Court Thursday morning where Detective Paul Hogan testified that three other children in the home said they saw him “smash her on the head really hard while she was upside down.”
Sy’Kia Epps died July 31 after being hospitalized for nearly a week from injuries allegedly caused by her father. She was taken to University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital July 25 by her mother. Hogan said in court Thursday that police arrived at the home on Whitney Avenue after staff at UK Hospital called police to do a welfare check on the other kids at the residence.
Police found Syied Epps at the home, who said he didn’t know anything about the incident, according to Hogan. Epps told police the child was in the care of a babysitter. He told police he didn’t know the name or contact information for the babysitter and the babysitter was not at the scene when police arrived, according to Hogan.
Police determined the babysitter story was false, and Epps continued to mislead police saying he was at work, Hogan testified. Investigation revealed Epps did not work at the places he mentioned, and was at the home at the time of the assault.
Hogan said Syied Epps got into a fight with his wife, who was working at the time of the incident. Hogan testified phone records revealed messages in which Epps allegedly said “come get these roaches,” referring to the children. He threatened to leave them all outside if his wife was late from work, Hogan said.
Four other children were in the home at the time of the attack, Hogan testified. Three were interviewed by the Child Advocacy Center, and told investigators they saw Syied Epps drop Sy’Kia Epps on her head.
The children told investigators Syied Epps has put blankets over Sy’Kia Epps’ face before while she was crying in attempts to stop her, according to Hogan.
District Judge John Tackett determined there was probable cause to send Epps’ case to a grand jury, which will decide whether or not to indict him. Epps’ attorney, Dan Parker, did not ask Tackett to address Epps’ bond, which was set at $1 million.
