Lexington man left neglected daughter to die as he watched Netflix, prosecutor says
A Lexington man is going to prison for decades for his role in the death of his 4-year-old daughter, who was dying as he ignored her to watch Netflix, prosecutors said.
Following a five-day trial, David Lance Steadman was convicted of homicide by child abuse, the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office said in a news release.
Lilly Lopez died July 31, 2017, and evidence presented at her father’s trial showed the 4-year-old was abused and neglected by Steadman — before and during her death, according to the release.
The 27-year-old told investigators he saw Lilly taped to a bed when he got to his Nazareth Road home from work that day, prosecutors said.
The child was in medical distress, but Steadman did nothing to immediately help his daughter, according to the release.
Lilly was eventually untaped from the bed, and Steadman placed her in the shower, but did nothing else to help his daughter, prosecutors said.
Instead, Steadman went into another room and was watching Netflix on his phone around 8:25 p.m., according to the release.
A 911 call was made at 9:05 p.m., by another adult in the home, the solicitor’s office reported.
First responders found Lilly unresponsive on the living room floor and began CPR before rushing her to Lexington Medical Center, where she died, it said in the release.
An investigation by the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department determined Lilly was abused and neglected, prosecutors said.
After he was convicted, Steadman was sentenced to 20 years in prison without parole, according to the release.
Another person has also been charged following Lilly’s death, the solicitor’s office said.
Information on that person and the charges was not available.
Steadman was transferred to the South Carolina Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.
This story was originally published February 15, 2020 at 10:21 AM.
