Taylor Lynn Fast has been charged with second-degree murder in the April 19 death of her baby daughter at a Festus apartment, as well as with two other felony charges tied to the death.
The charges came four months after Fast, 21, was arrested and held on bond on charges filed in connection with injuries to her surviving 3-year-old son.
At that time, Festus Police Chief Tim Lewis said authorities needed a Jefferson County Medical Examiner’s report before deciding on charges in the death of Layla Fast-Evans, whom he said was found dead at the apartment with “severe injuries to her face and neck and bruising over most of her body.”
Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Forrest Wegge said the new charges against Fast were filed Monday (Aug. 17) and are based on the medical examiner’s findings.
“We’ve not received the medical examiner’s report, but based on what we were told we were confident in filing these additional charges,” Wegge said.
In addition to the murder charge, a class A felony, Fast was charged with abuse or neglect of a child resulting in death, also a class A felony, and the class C felony of endangering the welfare of a child, first-degree.
Wegge said authorities will not pursue both of the class A felonies.
“We will decide which charge we need to pursue or the trier of fact (a judge or a jury) will decide which charge (will proceed),” he said. “The investigation is continuing.”
Fast faces up to 10 to 30 years in prison or a life sentence if convicted of either of the class A felony charges. She faces up to seven years in prison if convicted of the class C felony child endangerment charge.
Fast had been in custody at the Jefferson County Jail since April 19, held on a $50,000 cash-only bond on the class C felony of endangering the welfare of a child, first degree, in connection with a broken leg suffered by her 3-year-old son, Conner, who was at the apartment when Layla’s body was found.
However, this morning (Aug. 18) Fast’s bond was raised to $100,000 cash-only, Wegge said.
Fast’s boyfriend, Dewayne E. Boyer, 24, is also in custody in connection with Conner’s injury, held on $500,000 cash-only bond on the class B felony of abuse or neglect of a child – serious or emotional or physical injury.
Wegge said additional charges against Fast and Boyer are possible as more information comes to light in the continuing investigation.
Kathy Evans, paternal grandmother of Layla Fast-Evans, said she was in the court this morning when Fast’s bond was increased and she intends to attend any court proceedings involving those accused of harming her granddaughter.
“I’m glad it’s moving forward,” she said.
Evans said she is not Conner’s grandmother, but remains concerned about his well-being.
“Conner is doing wonderful,” she said. “I am in contact with his father.”
Lewis said the four months it took to hear from the medical examiner was not out of the ordinary for such a case.
“We finally got the medical examiner’s report and decided to seek the new charges,” he said.
Fast told police baby
had been bitten by spider
Emergency personnel declared the 19-month-old baby girl dead April 19 when they responded to an 8:20 a.m. call about an unresponsive child at the Festus Gardens apartment complex in the 200 block of Timberwyck.
Fast told officers her daughter had been bitten by a spider and was unconscious, Lewis said.
Joachim-Plattin Ambulance District personnel arrived and told officers the child had been dead for several hours. The mother told authorities she did not know what had happened to her daughter throughout the night, Lewis reported.
According to a probable-cause statement, Fast told police her son had been limping for two to three days and told her that her boyfriend had hurt him. She acknowledged that she did not seek medical attention for her son or report the possible child abuse, the statement said.
Boyer was taken into custody April 21. The maximum sentence if convicted of a class B felony is up to 15 years in prison.