EL DORADO, Kan. — A Kansas man has pleaded no contest in the death of a toddler. Justin Edwards of El Dorado entered no contest pleas Wednesday to aggravated battery, involuntary manslaughter and child abuse for the March 2012 death of Jayla Haag. Jayla was 18 months old when she died nearly 3 years ago, after what court documents said was longtime abuse at the hands of Edwards, her mothers boyfriend. The girls mother, Alyssa Haag, claimed Jayla had fallen down a flight of stairs the day before she took her to the hospital. But doctors who treated Jayla found multiple bruises in various stages of healing, burns, bleeding on the brain, malnourishment as well as methamphetamine in her blood. Doctors also discovered that some of her teeth were missing, and believed they had been pulled out. She died soon after. Detectives later found five baby teeth, metal tweezers and two pairs of pliers in the couples El Dorado apartment. Edwards was later arrested and charged with first-degree murder. A judge later dismissed the charge without prejudice, saying the state didnt provide sufficient evidence of the cause of death. The without prejudice part of the ruling, however, gave prosecutors the chance to re-file the charges at a later time, which they did in August 2014. As part of a plea agreement, Edward entered the no contest pleas to lesser charges at the Butler County Courthouse. Hes scheduled to be sentenced on March 12. Jaylas mother, Alyssa Haag, was also arrested and charged with first degree murder. As part of a plea bargain, she pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in 2013 and was sentenced to 31 months, or about two and a half years, in prison.
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 06:24:08 +0000
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