Woman charged with first-degree murder in death of girl found in vacant Colorado house

Woman charged with murder in death of girl in Colo

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A 9-year-old girl whose body was found in the basement of a vacant Colorado house may have been beaten and allowed to linger near death for two days before possibly being buried alive, according to an arrest affidavit.

Monique Lynch, 29, the girlfriend of the girl’s father, was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder.

Lynch and Hanif Sims, 29, the girl’s father, were also charged with child abuse resulting in death, concealing a body and tampering with evidence.

The two, who appeared in El Paso County District Court Wednesday, were arrested last month in Henderson, Nev. They were sought after the body of Sims’ daughter, Genesis, was found May 14 in the basement of a town home in Monument, about 50 miles south of Denver.

The couple moved out of the home early last year.

An arrest affidavit by the El Paso County sheriff’s office alleges that Lynch beat Genesis with a belt because the girl soiled herself. The girl was near death for two days, but Lynch and Sims didn’t get her medical help, according to the affidavit.

Genesis may have still been alive when she was placed in a plastic bag and buried in the basement, the affidavit said.

Sims said he told Lynch to call 911, but Lynch refused because she was wanted on an arrest warrant, according to the affidavit.

Lynch and Sims are each being held in the El Paso County jail on $500,000 bond. Kathleen Walsh, spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office, said prosecutors will ask that Lynch be held without bond.

Their next court date is Aug. 12.