Kemmerer, Wyoming – A 52-year-old babysitter is facing murder charges in the death of a 5-year-old girl under her care. Cheri Lynn Marler reportedly confessed to repeatedly “clapping” the child’s head between her hands, stating that she was “sick of” the child and “just wanted to kill” her. Marler now faces charges of first-degree murder and child abuse.
According to the Kemmerer Police Department, officers received a call about an unresponsive female child on November 25, 2022. Responders arrived at the scene to find the victim unconscious and not breathing on a living room couch. Marler, who was the sole caregiver, initially claimed that the child had fallen down the stairs. However, the severity of the injuries raised suspicions and prompted a criminal investigation.
Emergency medical services arrived and attempted to save the girl’s life. She was eventually transported to South Lincoln Medical Center for treatment before being airlifted to Primary Children’s Hospital in Utah. Tragically, the child succumbed to her injuries on November 26, 2022. The following day, Marler was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and child abuse.
Court documents revealed that Marler admitted to the killing when questioned by police. She allegedly struck the child five to ten times in a clapping motion. Marler claimed that the victim went to lie down afterward and was later found unconscious. She originally told authorities that the injuries were from a fall down the stairs but allegedly confessed to beating the child with kitchen utensils the day before.
An acquaintance of Marler informed the police that she had expressed hatred towards the victim and a desire to kill her. The investigator’s probable cause affidavit detailed the extent of the abuse, emphasizing the shocking amount of bruising, cuts, abrasions, and overall condition in which they found the child.
Marler’s defense attorney filed a motion to suppress her alleged confession and the comments she made to the acquaintance. The court denied both requests. The trial is scheduled for January 22.