GUILTY NC - Kilah Davenport, 3, disabled by abuse, dies 2 yrs later, 16 May 2012

Kilah's stepfather, Joshua Houser, was found guilty in February of child abuse and sentenced to serve at least 7.5 years, and up to just over 10 years in prison.

Evidence presented in Houser's trial showed he assaulted the then-3-year-old in a "fit of rage", shoving her head through a wall in his Indian Trail home. Kilah suffered a broken collarbone, fractured skull, a brain injury, and multiple bruises across her body in the assault.

Initially, Kilah's mother was told Kilah would live in a vegetative state but she had since made progress, before passing in March of this year.

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WBTV has learned that a Union County grand jury will determine if Joshua Houser will face second-degree murder charges in Davenport's death. The case was presented to the grand jury Monday morning...

An autopsy completed in March 2014 showed Davenport died from pneumonia due to health complications from the attack. An additional report, completed in August, ruled Kilah Davenport's March 13 death as a "homicide."

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After Kilah died, Houser was charged with second-degree murder. That case culminated in his surprise guilty plea Wednesday in an emotionally charged half-hour hearing...

Lee sentenced Houser, 26, to a minimum of 13 years to up to nearly 17 years in prison, part of a negotiated deal and the maximum he was eligible for without going to trial...

The new sentence replaces the old one.

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