Ohio father charged in 3-week-old daughter’s death: ‘horrific facts’
By Emily Sanderson
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CINCINNATI, Ohio (WLWT) — A Cincinnati man has been charged with murder in the death of his 24-day-old baby. A case prosecutors say shares “shocking similarities” to previous abuse charges he was convicted of in 2015.
Cincinnati police were called on Sept. 5 around 8:45 p.m. to the 6000 block of Red Bank Road for a report of an unresponsive child.
The child was taken to Cincinnati Children’s where she succumbed to her injuries the following day. She has been identified as Naomi Evans.
On Thursday, police said they arrested 34-year-old Christopher Evans and charged him with murder, felonious assault and child endangerment in the child’s death.
Evans was previously sentenced to prison on child abuse charges, pleading guilty in 2017 to assault and child endangering in Warren County. Investigators said he admitted to throwing his three-week-old son on to a changing table.
In that case, the boy had serious injuries and Evans spent most of his three-year sentence on house arrest.
In court Friday, prosecutors pointed to the 2015 case in court, saying it’s the “exact same injuries.”
“Horrific facts that seem to be repeating themselves,” the prosecutor said. “Please do not let him be around any more children.”
Detectives in court spoke in court saying the case bears “shocking similarities” to the previous case.
“Due to the significant nature of the injuries, the age of the victim, the nature of this case we request a high bond,” one detective said.
In court Friday, Evans’ attorney asked the judge to consider “scientific literature” with diagnosing child abuse and documented bias
“In any kind of case involving a shaken baby, I just ask the court also to remember the nature of these charges. That there is significant scientific literature that suggests that there is some foundational reliability problems with the whole science of diagnosing child abuse, versus just taking a look at this as an injury. There’s also well-documented bias in the medical community with an innocent injury with a white family is treated as an innocent family, with a minority family it’s treated as child abuse”
The judge set Evans’ bond at $2 million total: $1 million on the murder charge, $500,000 on the felonious assault charge and $500,000 on the child endangerment charge.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 513-352-3542.
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