Babysitting boyfriend charged with homicide in death of 3-year-old girl (Austin, Minnesota)

I don't consistently collect cases of babysitting boyfriends like JERIMIE HICKS who murder kids. It's enough trouble just to keep up with the murderous dads. But this particular story caught my eye. If anybody thinks Daddy is some lovely alternative to Mom and the boyfriend, check out his background: He's served time in prison for assaulting the girl's mother!

http://kaaltv.com/article/stories/S1447644.shtml?cat=10219

Posted at: 03/03/2010 6:50 PM
By: Kristin Martin

Man Accused of Killing Child

(ABC 6 NEWS) -- A former Austin man is behind bars accused of killing a three-year-old girl. Twenty two-year-old Jerimie Hicks, graduated from Austin High School just a few years ago. He now lives in Montana, and faces a homicide charge.

Jerimie hicks, a senior airman born in Great Falls, Montana, is accused of trying to kill his girlfriend's daughter while watching her last Friday afternoon.

According to court documents, Hicks called 9-1-1from the home claiming the three-year-old fell down two flights of stairs and hit her head on a wall after tripping over the family's puppy.

“When emergency crews arrived, the blood in her nose had already dried,” says Cascade County Attorney John Parker.

According to court documents, police examined the stairs, which were carpeted, and noted that Hicks' story did not seem credible.

Parker says, "I want to make it clear to the court that at a time when he should have been calling 911 to protect the child, he was taking steps to protect himself and mask his own involvement."

Reports indicate Hicks later recanted his statement, telling police he became frustrated with the child, so he shoved her and the child hit her head on a sheetrock wall. Those reports say investigators found a dent in that wall, and that hicks admitted the force likely caused the girl's injuries, which include significant bleeding of the brain.

"We've also learned that there's prior documentation that indicates the high level of his dangerousness in the community," says Parker.

That documentation is referenced in court papers. They say air force staff documented that hicks expressed homicidal ideation when under stress in the past.

Parker says the evidence is just one of the reasons the state asked for a million dollar bond, "The level and extent of the damage is the major factor."

Bond is set at 750,000 dollars. The child’s father, who served prison time for assaulting the girl’s mother, says he spoke with the woman Sunday.

"She called me at six in the morning to tell me what was going on with my daughter, and finally said, in case I haven't told you yet, this was not an accident," says the girl’s father.

No future court dates have been set.