Justin L. Mack

justin.mack@Indystar.com

The Owen County man arrested last spring in connection with the rape and murder of 1-year-old Shaylyn Ammerman has pleaded guilty to the crimes.

Owen County Circuit Court officials confirmed that Kyle Joseph Parker, 23, appeared in court Friday and provided factual basis to plead guilty to one count of murder and one count of kidnapping. The judge has taken Parker's plea under advisement, and a sentencing hearing in the case has been scheduled for the morning of Feb. 27.

Parker was originally facing a total of eight criminal charges. In addition to murder and kidnapping, Parker was charged with failure to report a dead body, obstruction of justice, strangulation, aggravated battery, child molesting and rape.

Court Documents say that Parker was up drinking alcohol with Shaylyn's uncle on the night of March 23. After the family fell asleep, he took Shaylyn from her bed and began driving to nearby Gosport where he raped her, smothered her and left her behind.

Her body was discovered by police near a downed tree the next night.

Parker initially denied having anything to do with the child's death. He told police that the girl's uncle had found her unresponsive at the home and that they had driven to Gosport together to get rid of Shaylyn's body, court documents said.

Parker later revealed that he had taken Shaylyn from the family's home and driven her to Gosport, where he raped and smothered her, court documents said. He also admitted to trying to destroy evidence that might connect him to the girl's death, including burning her owl-print onesie and purple pacifier.

Dr. Donna Stewart, who specializes in pediatric autopsies with sexual battery and molestation, said after Shaylyn's autopsy that it was the "worst case of sexual trauma" she had seen in her career.

After the charges were filed, Owen County prosecutors began seeking life without parole for Parker. Last fall, Owen County Prosecutor Donald VanDerMoere filed a motion to add aggravating circumstances to the charges against Parker.

In the filing, aggravating circumstances are: killing the victim while attempting or committing child molesting, killing the victim while attempting or committing kidnapping, killing the victim while attempting or committing rape, killing a child younger than 12 years of age and killing while mutilating or torturing the victim.

VanDerMoere previously told IndyStar that if Parker was found guilty of murder, he will have to prove one or more of the aggravating circumstances outlined in the filing for Parker to receive the life sentence. It is unclear if officials are still seeking the life sentence in light of the guilty plea.

MORE ON THE SHAYLYN AMMERMAN CASE:

Shaylyn Ammerman: What we know

Hackney: Shaylyn’s father tormented on Facebook

Call IndyStar reporter Justin L. Mack at (317) 444-6138. Follow him on Twitter: @justinlmack.