About one month ago today, we shared the story about the case of 9-year-old Genesis Sims. Her decomposing body was found dead in the town home where she had lived with Hanif Sims, her father, and Monique Lynch, Sims’ girlfriend.
In May, Genesis’ body was found by construction workers who were tending to some work on the empty town home. The discovery of the young girl’s body sent Colorado authorities on the search for Sims and Lynch, who had been caring for Genesis prior to her death.
As posted previously, after having evaded officials for months both Lynch and Sims were apprehended by police in July and faced child abuse charges. Lynch had a warrant out for her arrest even before Genesis’ death, and, according to Sims’ account of the incident that led to Genesis’ death, that warrant was the reason Lynch insisted not to seek help when Genesis needed it.
Why did Genesis need help, and how did she die? Since the arrest of Lynch and Sims, details about how Genesis might have died have become known; however, those details are yet to be judged in court.
Sims claims that his daughter’s death began when Lynch got angry with her for soiling herself. The affidavit states that Lynch punished Genesis by aggressively beating her with a belt to the point at which Sims claims that he told Lynch to stop.
Sims says that Lynch did stop, but when he got home from running errands, he noticed that Genesis’ condition had turned critical. Her breathing was irregular, and Lynch was yelling at her, telling her to “stop faking.” Lynch refused Sims’ request to call for help because she knew there was a warrant out for her arrest and did not want to involve police.
Sims told authorities that the couple stayed with Genesis for two days following the child abuse and ultimately left her in the home after putting her in a plastic bag and hiding her body. Whether she was dead when they put her in the bag is still undetermined.
Lynch is charged with murder in the first degree and, if found guilty, could receive a life sentence. Sims faces charges of child abuse, concealing a body, and tampering with evidence and could be sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.
The next hearing in this Colorado child abuse and murder trial is scheduled for this Thursday, August 12, in El Paso County.
Resource
The Gazette: Affidavit: Couple possibly buried monument girl alive (8/4/2010)