SPENCER, Ind. -- Police were keeping information close to the chest about the 22-year-old man taken into custody in connection with the disappearance and death of 1-year-old Shaylyn Ammerman.
Kyle Parker, 22, was taken into custody Thursday afternoon in connection with Shaylyn's disappearance. Police said they would wait for the Owen County Prosecutor's Office to decide on formal charges.
The preliminary charges Parker is facing are:
- Two counts of obstruction of justice
- One count of failure to report a dead body
- One count of unlawful disposition of a dead body
He has an initial court hearing Monday afternoon.
Shaylyn's father, Justin Ammerman, told RTV6 that Parker had been at his house the night his daughter disappeared.
Shaylyn Ammerman's dad and uncle heartbroken over her death. Angry at 'acquaintance' Kyle Parker arrested in case pic.twitter.com/oozw3rzRPs
— Mike Pelton (@MikePeltonRTV6) March 25, 2016
Shaylyn's body was found around 6 p.m. Thursday in a "very rural" area near the White River north of Gosport, Indiana. Her death has been ruled a homicide by asphyxiation.
Above: 1-year-old Shaylyn Ammerman
MORE | Missing 1-year-old Shaylyn Ammerman found dead | 1-year-old missing from father's home in Spencer | Why no Amber Alert for Shaylyn Ammerman?
Court records show Parker has had past run-ins with the law in Owen County on charges of drug possession and criminal trespassing. RTV6 couldn't find any felony charges on record.
Indiana State Police Sgt. Curt Durnill said in a press conference Thursday night investigators hadn't confirmed Parker's whereabouts the night of Shaylyn's disappearance.
"[Kyle Parker's] whereabouts at the time she went missing, we don't know exactly where he was," Durnill said. "He's definitely a suspect, but there are going to be other persons of interest in this case. Again: Nowhere near over. He's been arrested. We don't know what his actual role was right now."
PHOTOS: The search for Shaylyn Ammerman
Police hadn't yet released the names of any other possible suspects. However, state police are expected to question at least three or four other people of interest Friday.
"Let me be really frank here: We've just started," Durnill said. "Please don't feel that just because we've made a body, just because we've made an arrest, that this case is over."
Anyone with information about Shaylyn's disappearance and death was urged to contact the Spencer Police Department at 812-829-3932.
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