Shaylyn Ammerman Death Ruled Homicide

Fox59

Man due in court Monday in connection with death of Spencer toddler Shaylyn Ammerman - A man facing charges in connection with the death of an Owen County toddler is due in court Monday.

Kyle Parker, 22, is set for an initial appearance at 1 p.m. He won’t be in the courtroom and will instead appear via a video conferencing system.

Online records showed Parker faces charges of murder, rape, child molesting, kidnapping, strangulation and aggravated battery. In addition, Parker faces two counts of obstruction of justice, a count of failure to report a dead body and a count of unlawful disposition of a body in connection with the death of 1-year-old Shaylyn Ammerman.

Police arrested Parker on Thursday, the same day they found the 14-month-old’s body near the White River in Gosport. An autopsy showed the girl died from asphyxiation.

Parker was at the Ammerman home the night Shaylyn disappeared. Her family reported her missing Wednesday morning. Her father said his mother put Shaylyn to bed late Tuesday; when they woke up in the morning, she was gone.

The family said Parker initially said he didn’t know anything about Shaylyn’s disappearance.

“You know that you did it and then be so straight, and calm, and cool and just lie for a day. A whole 24 hours of lying, when you knew where that baby was,” said Tammy Morgan, Shaylyn’s grandmother.

Parker’s mother, Christina Patton, released a statement about her son’s arrest in the case:

“Our hearts are heavy and filled with grief over this beautiful little girl's passing. It is a difficult time for all families involved.”

Shaylyn's funeral is scheduled for Wednesday at the Christian Life Center in Spencer. Visitation will be held starting at 3 p.m. A private burial will be held at Chambersville Cemetery.