$200K bond set for Katy father charged in death of 3-month-old daughter
KATY, Texas (KTRK) -- A father appeared in court for the first time overnight after being charged in the death of his 3-month-old daughter last month.
Steven Luke Maglitto, 38, is charged with injury to a child - serious bodily injury. A judge set his bond at $200,000. He's expected to appear in court again later Tuesday morning.
Maglitto was arrested on Monday afternoon -- more than two weeks after deputies were called to his home on Penmark Lane in Katy because his 3-month-old daughter was unconscious.
Court records say Maglitto met deputies on his driveway with the unconscious girl in his arms. He then allegedly laid her on the ground, began to apologize and declared, "God will take care of it."
READ MORE: Former teacher's sister saw no outward signs of injury on baby hours before tot's death, records say
The baby girl was taken by Life Flight to a hospital, where she died from her injuries.
Court records show the girl had severe head trauma. Her injuries were extensive, according to prosecutor Gilbert Sawtelle.
"The biggest injuries are going to be the brain bleeds, the subdural hemorrhages, and the skull fracture," Sawtelle said. "However, she had a lot of other injuries, including bruising on her forehead, legs, arms, all over her body."
Maglitto allegedly told deputies he did not know what happened to the girl, but he was the only adult looking after the 3-month-old and her 4-year-old sibling while his wife was away.
ORIGINAL REPORT: 3-month-old baby dead after being found with 'severe trauma' in Katy, Harris County deputies say
His own sister was concerned enough about the kids that she went to the home the day of the alleged crime and even called Maglitto's wife, records show.
"The kids were OK, but she felt like he should not be alone with the kids. It is alleged he did not want her to take the kids. She allegedly contacted the children's mother and told her about how she felt that he should not be alone with the kids," a prosecutor read in court.
Maglitto's wife allegedly checked up on the kids around noon that day, but by 4:30 p.m., deputies were at the house and the girl was unconscious.
Court records also state that Maglitto told deputies he didn't know what happened to his daughter but that he had taken a hit of marijuana earlier. He told them he "heard God talking to him" and repeated the words, "Trust God, everything will be OK," records state.
He also said he had recently quit his teaching job after 10 years due to stress. His sister told deputies he said he was drafting a living will on his cell phone and that he became upset when she suggested he shouldn't be home alone with the children.
The couple also has a 7-year-old child. The surviving children are in foster care, Melissa Lanford, with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, said.
The injury to a child charge is based on preliminary autopsy results. The final autopsy could lead to an upgraded charge, like felony murder, Sawtelle said.
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