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CADIZ -- A trial scheduled for Monday following the death of an 8-year-old girl was canceled when the defendant, the girl's father, entered a guilty plea.
Kristopher Merkins, 34, of Cadiz pleaded guilty to third-degree felony child endangerment. Harrison County Common Pleas Judge Shawn Hervey set his sentencing hearing for Dec. 5.
According to the Harrison County Prosecutor's Office, Merkins faces up to three years in prison.
He originally had been charged with complicity in nine counts, including involuntary manslaughter and multiple counts of endangering children.
Prosecutor Lauren Knight commented on the outcome of the case.
"This is the offer that was made to the defendant, at least in terms of charges, quite some time ago. We have been pretty consistent about what we wanted to see, and he just agreed to it this morning, prior to the jury being seated," Knight said. "The grand jury had indicted him on complicity in nine charges, nine counts."
Merkins was not at home at the time of the child's death. His then-girlfriend, Jessica Lynn Currence, 29, was sentenced in March to five and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to reckless homicide, attempted endangering children and tampering with evidence in the death of Paityn Merkins on June 27, 2021.
Knight had described Paityn Merkins as a "medically fragile child" who was in the custody of her father due to prior abuse at the hands of her biological mother. Knight said Paityn Merkins was burned on her feet and buttocks three days prior to the incident, and Currence provided no medical treatment. The girl reportedly died in a bathtub prepared for her by Currence.
First responders called to the scene found Paityn Merkins unresponsive on the floor. She was later pronounced deceased at WVU Medicine Harrison Community Hospital. Knight said an autopsy was conducted and the cause of death listed as thermal and blunt force injuries. Another autopsy performed by a doctor hired by the defense concluded that she died of cardiac arrest from a lack of oxygen. Knight said investigators also uncovered Facebook messages that included "discussions about beating the child and punishments for bedwetting or accidents."
"At the end of the day, no time is ever enough, because it can't bring Paityn back," Knight said regarding sentencing. "And the fact that we can seek a little bit of justice is the only payment for that. And what she went through, we can't take that away."
Knight said the girl would have turned 11 last week.
"It was kind of fitting that we were going to have a trial right after that," Knight said.
"I spoke with the child's biological mother today. No time is necessarily enough, but I think they understood some of the challenges. And at the end of the day, the defendant in this case was not home when the child died or when the injuries prior to her death happened, so he was the less culpable of the two parties who were involved," Knight said.
"I think the family wants to move forward and not grieve daily the way they have been with this uncertainty."