Preliminary hearing in killing of 18-month-old Jayla Haag is continued

The preliminary hearing for a man charged with murdering an 18-month-old girl more than two years ago has been continued to Nov. 12.

Justin Edwards had faced a preliminary hearing Wednesday to determine whether there is enough evidence to try him on a charge of first-degree murder in the 2012 killing of Jayla Haag.

Jayla’s mother, Alyssa Haag, was Edwards’ girlfriend. The three lived in a small El Dorado apartment that has been described as a meth house.

An affidavit filed in Butler County District Court said that Jayla’s limp body was brought to a hospital in March 2012. Her injuries included a fractured jaw, missing teeth that had been forcibly removed, severe head injuries and multiple bruises in different stages of healing. She also was suffering from malnourishment and tested positive for methamphetamine.

Alyssa Haag told an investigator that Edwards, now 31, struck the girl and repeatedly choked her, the affidavit says.

Edwards’ attorney, David Moses, said in a recent motion that he expects Haag to testify against Edwards. Haag has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter/reckless in her daughter’s death and has been in prison, with an earliest possible release on March 24, 2015.

Records show she was moved this week from the Topeka Correctional Facility to Butler County for a court appearance.

It is the second time that Edwards has faced charges in the case. In September 2012, a judge dismissed a first-degree murder charge against Edwards because Jayla’s autopsy had not been completed at the time. The prosecutor said then that a murder charge could be refiled after he received a completed autopsy report with a finding on a cause of death. A coroner ruled the 18-month-old’s death a homicide.

In August, prosecutors filed a new first-degree murder charge against Edwards. He had been in prison since early 2013 on drug convictions and is now being held in jail on a $500,000 bond.

This story was originally published October 1, 2014 at 11:07 AM with the headline "Preliminary hearing in killing of 18-month-old Jayla Haag is continued."