Ryan Lawrence, the father and suspected killer of 21-month old Maddox, pleaded not guilty despite resounding evidence linking him to the crime. The arraignment proceedings were held at the Syracuse City Court on Wednesday.
Onondaga County district attorney Bill Fitzpatrick cited jealousy as the motive in the toddler's killing. He shared to News 10 NBC via WHEC that Lawrence, 24, scorned his daughter for preferring to be with her mother instead of him.
The DA believes the suspect dropped off his wife Morgan to work on Saturday before committing the crime. Ryan allegedly drove Baby Maddox to a park in Cortland County, where he killed and burnt her. Unsatisfied, he tied his daughter's remains to a cinderblock then dumped her into Onondaga Creek.
Morgan started to get worried when her husband failed to pick her up from work. She went home alone only to find a note from Ryan saying he might harm himself and their daughter, according to Syracuse. An Amber Alert was issued shortly thereafter.
The search for Ryan and Maddox got a major boost on Monday when a 911 caller saw Mr. Lawrence purchasing a comforter in Baldwinsville. Police immediately responded and were able to obtain an admission from the suspect as to where he hid his daughter's remains.
Ryan was present when Syracuse authorities and FBI agents searched for Maddox in Onondaga Creek on Tuesday. An infant's body was discovered at noon, but it's still unclear if it was Maddox as results of the DNA testing have yet to be released.
Mr. Lawrence has been charged with second-degree murder for what he did. He is currently held without bail at the Onondaga County Justice Center. Sympathizers of Maddox have made a GoFundMe for the murder victim, which you can access by clicking this link.
Maddox successfully endured cancer before her untimely death, CNY Central reported. The toddler was initially diagnosed with a rare form of eye cancer known as retinoblastoma in early 2015.
