CINCINNATI, Ohio — A Cincinnati father accused of killing his 24-day-old daughter is facing murder and other charges, years after serving prison time for seriously injuring his newborn son.
Christopher Evans, 34, was arrested Thursday and charged with murder, felonious assault and child endangerment in connection with the death of his daughter, Naomi Evans.
Police said officers were called to a home on Red Bank Road in Cincinnati’s Kennedy Heights neighborhood on Sept. 5 after receiving a report of an unresponsive infant. Cincinnati firefighters transported Naomi to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, where she died the following day.
Investigators said Naomi suffered severe head injuries, including a skull fracture and bleeding on the brain. Police allege the injuries were caused by physical force. The investigation involved interviews with detectives, medical records, statements from hospital personnel and findings from the Hamilton County Coroner’s Office.
Evans appeared before a Hamilton County judge Friday and pleaded not guilty through his public defender. Prosecutors pointed to similarities between the allegations in the current case and a 2015 incident involving Evans’ newborn son.
In that earlier case, Evans was convicted of felonious assault and child endangerment after his three-week-old son suffered serious injuries while Evans was caring for him at the family’s Loveland home. Court records say the infant suffered subdural bleeding, a brain injury, retinal hemorrhages and fractures.
Evans was sentenced to three years in prison in 2017. He was released early in December 2018 and completed the remainder of his sentence under supervised probation. His community control was later terminated, and court records indicate he had no new arrests or convictions during that period.
During Friday’s hearing, prosecutors argued that the circumstances surrounding Naomi’s death were strikingly similar to the earlier case. A Cincinnati homicide detective also told the court that investigators saw concerning similarities between the two incidents.
Evans’ defense challenged the allegations and raised questions about the medical conclusions surrounding abusive head trauma. His attorney asked the court to set a bond rather than keep Evans jailed without the possibility of release.
The judge ultimately set bond at $1 million on the murder charge and $500,000 each on the felonious assault and child-endangerment charges, bringing the total to $2 million. Evans was also ordered to have no contact with minors.
The case is now expected to move to a Hamilton County grand jury.
A GoFundMe fundraiser for Naomi’s funeral was created Sept. 7 by someone identified as Chris Evans in Cincinnati. The fundraiser identifies the infant as the organizer’s daughter and seeks $3,500 for funeral expenses. Current reporting has not independently confirmed that the person who created the fundraiser is the same Christopher Evans charged in Naomi’s death.
The criminal investigation remains ongoing. Evans is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
