Montco Man Charged With Murder In Infant Daughter's Death

LOWER PROVIDENCE, PA — Further investigation has led to murder charges against a Montgomery County father who police said raped and killed his baby daughter.

Austin Stevens, 29, had previously been charged with aggravated assault and rape of a child in the case Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele called "deeply disturbing."

Charges were upgraded following the completion of additional forensic tests ordered by the Montgomery County Coroner's Office, and a determination based on those tests and an autopsy that the child, 10-month-old Zara Scruggs, had died by homicide.

"Zara died a deeply disturbing death at the hands of her father," Steele said. "Stevens will have to answer to murder charges."

The incident occurred on Oct. 3 in Stevens' home on the 3400 block of Germantown Pike. The baby suffered both sexual trauma and trauma to the head, the coroner's office determined.

>>Mom Speaks After Montco Baby's Death: 'I Really Have No Words'

After the assault, from around 9:27 p.m. to 10:22 p.m., Stevens performed numerous Google searches on his phone, including "If baby stop breathing," "What if you don't hear baby heart or beat," "My baby isn't breathing," and "How do you know if a bsby is dead," according to the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.

While he was browsing the Internet, he also chatted over text and Instagram with two different women, and the conversations were not related to the baby or any emergency issues, according to a criminal complaint.

Stevens called 911 and police arrived at around 10:40 p.m., officials said. The baby was taken to the hospital and declared dead.

Stevens, who was also serving as an assistant youth football coach in the local community, had just moved into his Germantown Pike home with his daughter on Oct. 1.

Loved ones remembered Zara for the powerful impact she had in a short time. More than $50,000 was raised by the community in a GoFundMe campaign to benefit the family.

"She was smart. She was silly. She was sassy. She was perfect. She was a beautiful baby and brought so much beauty into hundreds of lives. She brought us together, and we will fight for her forever," wrote Brionna Cassaundra Wise, who launched the GoFundMe.

Stevens has been in Montgomery County Correctional Facility since his arrest in early October. A preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 1.

To learn more about the GoFundMe and to donate, see here.