Inset: Chance T. Topp (Licking County Jail). Background: The Licking County Justice Center (Google Maps).
A 28-year-old Ohio man is facing aggravated murder charges after he allegedly suffocated his 4-month-old daughter with a pacifier because her crying frustrated him.
Chance Terrence Topp was arrested following a monthslong investigation into the October 2023 death of the infant in Utica.
According to Licking County Court of Common Pleas records, a grand jury returned a 13-count superseding indictment against Topp. The charges include aggravated murder, two counts of murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, felonious assault, strangulation, reckless homicide, domestic violence, falsification, and two counts of endangering children.
According to a news release from the Licking County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded to a report of an unresponsive infant at a residence on Crestview Drive around 7:32 p.m. on Oct. 13, 2023. Emergency medical personnel transported the baby to Licking Memorial Hospital for treatment.
Hospital staff observed "suspicious injuries" on the child before she was pronounced dead, sparking a 20-month investigation.
At the time of the incident, Topp was reportedly watching the child while her mother was at work.
Court documents obtained by Columbus CBS affiliate WBNS revealed that Topp initially told detectives he was asleep when he heard the baby gasping for air, claiming he removed her from her crib to administer CPR but failed to call 911.
However, the investigation allegedly revealed a chaotic scene inside the home just before the 911 call. Family members reportedly claimed they heard the baby screaming and yelled at Topp, saying, "What did you do?" local NBC affiliate WCMH reported.
Topp allegedly refused any assistance and blocked his relatives from seeing the baby. The family further told detectives that Topp often stayed up late playing video games, drank alcohol, and was consistently inattentive to the infant.
An autopsy conducted by the Licking County Coroner's Office determined the child's manner of death was homicide and the cause of death was asphyxia, noting red marks on her neck and bruising on her jawline.
Toxicology reports also indicated the baby tested positive for delta-8 THC, which Topp admitted he was smoking in the room to calm himself down.
Investigators ultimately determined Topp wanted to go back to sleep and, frustrated with the child's crying, used excessive force to hold the pacifier in her mouth, suffocating her. Assistant Prosecutor Tyler McCoy noted that the suspect was deceptive throughout the monthslong investigation before finally confessing to causing the infant's death.
"This has been a long investigation by the Licking County Sheriff's Office, Mr. Topp has been interviewed multiple times and showed deceptive conduct and made deceptive statements throughout the interviews and once he was arrested he did in fact admit he put too much force on the baby's mouth with the pacifier and she went unresponsive," he said.
The baby's grandmother, Amy Richter, shared a statement with WBNS mourning the loss of her granddaughter.
"We just want people to know that she was a happy baby, Our Smiley Riley, and this world lost so many smiles when he took her from us," Richter said. "So we try to smile for Riley and replace those smiles. Please just ask people to be kind and share some smiles for Riley."
Topp is being held in the Licking County Jail on $200,000 bond. His jury trial is scheduled to begin on July 27.