Pattern of Harm

Rancho Cucamonga, CA – A 4-year-old girl with Down syndrome was reportedly killed by her mother’s boyfriend, according to sheriff’s officials.

Adam Hughes, 24, was babysitting his girlfriend’s children at their home in Rancho Cucamonga, California, when the alleged incident took place, said a news release from the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department. One of the children, Kylie Willis, had Down syndrome, the release noted.

At some point on Tuesday, March 26, Hughes allegedly assaulted Kylie because she “angered Hughes by interrupting him,” the news release said. He then put her to bed.

But, several hours later, he noticed Kylie was not responsive and had “blue fingers and lips,” said the department, prompting Hughes to call his girlfriend, Corrine Blake.

At around 7:56 p.m., he called 911, and paramedics took Kylie to a nearby hospital for treatment before she was airlifted to another medical center for “severe head trauma,” the sheriff’s department said.

After she spent several days on life support, Kylie was pronounced dead on March 29 by the alleged attack, the news release stated.

Two days before her death, both Hughes and Blake were arrested on child abuse charges, but Hughes was later charged with murder after the girl died.

The four-year-old’s father, Victor Willis, described her as a “happy little girl” who could “get anyone to smile just from her smile.”

During the times the two spent together Victor Willis said his daughter never seemed depressed or acted hurt.

“She was just full of joy, full of life, full of curiosity and that was tragically taken from her,” he said.

He said although he wants those responsible for ending his daughter’s life to “suffer as well” he said he plans to let law enforcement and the judicial process do what they are trained to do to get justice for Kylee.

“I’m no one to be judge, jury and executioner. I just kick myself for not knowing because then I could have protected her,” he said.

The criminal complaint had stated Hughes was accused of “unlawfully … having care and custody of Jane Doe, a child under the age of 8 years, assault that child by means of force that to a reasonable person would be likely to produce bodily injury, resulting in the child becoming comatose due to brain injury and suffering paralysis of a permanent nature.”

Meanwhile, Blake, “under circumstances and conditions likely to produce great bodily harm and death, willfully caused and permitted a child to suffer,” said court documents.

Another child at the home, an 18-month-old boy, was taken into custody by county Children and Family Services.

No additional information was released by the department, which added that several agencies are investigating.

This case is sickening. We hope the judge throws the book at both of these despicable individuals.