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Man charged with rape, murder in toddler's death

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Kyle Parker, the person taken into custody last week in connection with the disappearance of Shaylyn Ammerman, has been formally charged with rape, murder and child molestation by Owen County prosecutors.

According to online court records, the official charges Parker faces are:

  • Murder
  • Rape
  • Child molesting where defendant is at least 21 years of age
  • Kidnapping
  • Aggravated battery when defendant is at least 18 years old
  • Strangulation
  • Obstruction of justice
  • Failure to report a dead body

Parker was taken into custody Thursday afternoon. He has an initial hearing Monday afternoon.

Shaylyn's father, Justin Ammerman, told newsnet5.com's sister station RTV6 that Parker had been at his house the night his daughter disappeared.

Shaylyn's body was found around 6 p.m. Thursday in a "very rural" area near the White River north of Gosport, Indiana. Her death has been ruled a homicide by asphyxiation. 

According to the charging document, police interviewed Parker's friends, who said Kyle liked pornographic videos with sadistic and masochistic themes, and that he was attracted to girls in the 12-14 age range. When interviewed by police, Parker denied those claims.

The doctor who performed Shaylyn's autopsy specializes in pediatric autopsies with sexual battery and molestation. She told police this was the worst case of sexual trauma she had seen in her career.
 
According to the court documents, Parker admitted to raping, killing and leaving Shaylyn's body in the woods.

 

Above: 1-year-old Shaylyn Ammerman

 
Court records show Parker has had past run-ins with the law in Owen County on charges of drug possession and criminal trespassing. RTV6 couldn't find any previous felony charges on record.