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Background: A section of Whitney Avenue in Lexington, Ky. (Google Maps). Inset: Syied Malik-Kawon Epps (Lexington Police Department).
In a tragic incident in Kentucky, a father has admitted to causing the death of his 9-month-old daughter by striking her on the head, an act that he carried out in front of her siblings, whom he derogatorily referred to as “roaches.”
Syied Malik-Kawon Epps, aged 31, is facing charges of murder linked to domestic violence following the death of his daughter, Sy’kia Epps. This information comes from Lexington jail records accessed by Law&Crime.
The local Fox affiliate, WDKY, reported that Epps has entered a guilty plea to the murder charge. Prosecutors are recommending a 25-year prison sentence for him.
The heartbreaking case unfolded on July 26, 2023, when officers from the Lexington Police Department were dispatched to a residence on Whitney Avenue in Lexington, a city with over 300,000 residents. They responded after Sy’kia was taken to a hospital with severe brain injuries that threatened her life.
When questioned by the police, Epps initially claimed that his daughter had been injured while under the care of a babysitter. However, he could only provide the first name of this alleged caregiver and failed to supply any further details such as a last name or contact information. This lack of information was highlighted during a testimony by Lexington Police Detective Paul Hogan, according to a report from the local CBS affiliate, WKYT.
Investigators said they found security camera footage showing Epps at the scene during the time frame in question. They also spoke with three children in the home and learned they were there when Sy’kia was hurt.
“All three stated that Mr. Epps had dropped their sister on her head,” Hogan said. “One articulated … ‘Daddy smashed her on her head really hard and she was upside down.’”
Epps and the mother of their children were in an argument while the woman was at work. During the argument, Epps apparently threatened the kids.
“He 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,” the detective recalled.
Epps was arrested on July 27, 2023, and charged with assault. Sy’kia died four days later, and the charge was upgraded to murder.
Epps is scheduled to be sentenced on July 1.