A Florida man has been arrested and charged after allegedly confessing to the brutal beating of a one-year-old girl left in his care, a tragedy that has left a family grieving and a community in shock.
The victim, identified as Ky’meria Key’moni German, died in June following what authorities describe as a horrifying assault. According to prosecutors, the child was beaten so severely that she likely could not crawl due to the intense pain she endured.
Deric Young, 25, was taken into custody by Tallahassee Police on June 24. During a police interview, Young initially denied involvement in the child’s death, but later allegedly admitted to striking Ky’meria multiple times, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.
Authorities say Young demonstrated the assault during his interview, showing both fists and explaining that he struck the child “two to three times” on both sides of her face and head. When questioned whether he had lost his temper while caring for the child—referred to in the affidavit only as “KG”—Young reportedly said no, claiming instead that he had been “playing” with her.
He also allegedly told officers he had smoked cannabis shortly before the attack, saying something along the lines of, “When I smoke, I want to play.” The affidavit reveals further disturbing details. An autopsy showed Ky’meria suffered an acute fracture to her left femur—an injury investigators say would have caused “extreme pain” and “severely impacted her ability to crawl or move.”
When asked about this injury, Young allegedly stated he had “used a fist to strike her upon the thigh.” At the time of the incident, Ky’meria had been entrusted to Young’s care after her babysitter—her mother’s cousin—had left for work, according to local news outlet WCTV.
In the wake of the tragedy, Ky’meria’s mother, Ckaiyyaa Baee, took to Facebook to mourn her daughter and share memories of the joyful, pink-loving toddler. “My girl was sweet. She was loved by many,” Baee wrote. “She loves eating her food and beating on ppl. My baby girl is gone … I am hurt, my only girl.”
The family has since launched a GoFundMe campaign to assist with funeral expenses. Young has been formally charged with homicide murder while engaged in aggravated child abuse and cruelty toward a child, as per the arrest affidavit. He remains in custody as the case moves forward.