Dad wanted in infant daughter’s death arrested in Texas

FAIRFIELD, Ohio (WXIX) - The father wanted in connection with the death of his infant daughter was arrested Wednesday in Northeast Texas.

An arrest warrant was issued for John Powers, 24, on Wednesday after being indicted on murder and endangering children charges in Butler County, according to the prosecutor’s office.

The indictment stems from the death of his 2-month-old daughter, Kiara Powers, on May 10, court documents show.

Her cause of death was found to be blunt head trauma, Butler County Coroner Lisa Mannix wrote in her autopsy.

On May 9, the day before Kiara died, she had an abdominal ultrasound after a doctor’s visit noted slow weight gain and problems with vomiting while feeding, Mannix wrote. No other irregularities or injuries were mentioned in the visit, the document reads.

The ultrasound determined the 2-month-old had “normal gastric emptying,” the coroner detailed.

Kiara was in the care of John following the ultrasound, according to Mannix.

After eating, Kiara slept for several hours on his chest while John sat in bed, the document explains.

At some point, the 2-month-old became unresponsive, and John called 911, the coroner’s report reads.

He started CPR until police and EMS arrived to take over, Mannix wrote.

CPR was continued at Mercy Hospital Fairfield where Kiara was pronounced dead in the emergency department, according to the coroner.

Mannix conducted the autopsy the following morning and she says she found evidence of head trauma that had not been previously reported.

The findings in Kiara’s autopsy led Mannix to rule her cause of death to be blunt head trauma, the documents read.

Court documents show Kiara suffered the injury that killed her sometime between April 3 and May 10, the day of her death.

At some point, after his daughter’s death, John left Fairfield for Gainesville, Texas, which is where he was arrested Wednesday, according to the prosecutor’s office.

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