Fla. Dad Allegedly Murdered Infant Daughter While 'Highly Stressed' After Losing Power in Hurricane Irma

Chris Harris
Updated
Dad Allegedly Murders Daughter While Stressed After Hurricane

A 22-year-old Florida father is facing a murder charge after being accused of killing his infant daughter by hitting her in the head and fracturing her skull while he was “stressed” in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, PEOPLE confirms.

An affidavit obtained by PEOPLE states that Dekari Castell allegedly told police he was “highly stressed” from “being without power” following the hurricane and lost control of himself on Sept. 13 when his 6-month-old, Kali, would not stop crying.

Castell confessed to punching the girl twice, the affidavit alleges.

Once she was quiet after being hit, Castell allegedly told investigators, he laid her down to sleep and then called her mother several times, asking her to hurry over to his home in Orlando, Florida.

Kali was rushed to a nearby hospital, according to the affidavit, where was pronounced dead the next day.

She suffered severe brain damage and never regained consciousness while receiving medical treatment, the affidavit states.

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Before his confession, Castell allegedly told police he had dropped the baby before claiming she had taken a nasty spill off a TV stand, according to the affidavit.

In addition to murder, Castell is also charged with aggravated child abuse.

He is being held without bail and has not yet entered pleas in court. It was unclear Friday if he has hired a lawyer who could comment on his behalf.

Strangely, police say the fatal punches occurred inside the same home where authorities found and arrested Markeith Loyd earlier this year for allegedly killing Orlando Police Lt. Debra Clayton and his pregnant ex-girlfriend Sade Dixon.

Loyd has reportedly pleaded not guilty. He is scheduled to go to trial for Dixon’s killing first, in September 2018, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Castell’s mother moved into the home where Loyd was found a few months after he was arrested, the Sentinel reports. He was staying there following the hurricane.

Castell, a former high school football standout, has a tattoo of his deceased daughter’s name above his left eyebrow.