JESSICA SYZAK - 4 Months (1995) - Port Huron MI

Michigan authorities say they have solved a 15-year-old cold case involving a baby murder.

A 43-year-old Hobart man was scheduled to be arraigned on murder charges in the case today.

Scott Syzak admitted to Lake County authorities last week that he
lied to Port Huron, Mich., detectives when he was first questioned about
the death of his daughter, 4-month-old Jessica Syzak. The baby's
mother, Candace Syzak, also admitted to Lake County Sheriff's officers
recently that she lied.

Jessica died on Oct. 12, 1995, from severe head trauma. Police ruled
the case a homicide, but didn't have enough evidence to charge Scott
Syzak. New evidence surfaced that linked him to the girl's death after
Lake County police detectives interviewed Syzak and the girl's mother
last week.

Syzak has been charged with open murder and as a habitual offender.

Syzak was brought to the St. Clair County Jail in Michigan on
Saturday morning after being arrested Friday morning by Indiana police.

He served nearly four years in Michigan on a prior conviction for
second-degree child abuse, which resulted in injury to a 6-month-old
baby who was a relative, but not Syzak's own child.

According to Michigan media, he was previously convicted of
second-degree child abuse and of issuing checks against nonexistent
accounts.

The injuries 4-month-old Jessica Syzak sustained before her death
just didn't add up to a simple fall, expert witness Dr. Marcus DeGraw
said.DeGraw was one of nine people who testified Tuesday during the jury trial of Scott Syzac in St. Clair County Circuit Court.The
43-year-old Indiana man is charged with felony murder of his infant
daughter, Jessica Syzak, who died Oct. 12, 1995, from severe head trauma
at 931 Pine St. in Port Huron."Being dropped three or four feet
is not consistent with the degree of that injury that the child
suffered," said DeGraw, a general and child abuse pediatrician at St.
John Hospital and Medical Center in Detroit.Police have said Syzak admitted to forcefully dropping the 4-month-old five weeks before her death.DeGraw -- who reviewed medical records related to Jessica Syzak's injuries, her autopsy report and
X-rays -- said the infant suffered a significant skull fracture and posterior rib fractures, in addition to other injuries.He
said the child ultimately died from "head injuries suffered through
abusive head trauma." He added posterior rib fractures are an indicator
of a child's rib cage being squeezed.Syzak's lawyer, Daniel
Damman, said the infant had been seen at four different health care
providers from Sept. 11 to Oct. 11, 1995. Testimony with several
witnesses throughout the day included discussion of medical records.Police involved in the investigation also testified.Lake
County Sheriff Deputy Commander Matt Eaton said Scott Syzak changed his
story "piece by piece" before stating he was bathing his daughter in
his second-floor bathroom when she received injuries to her head.Eaton
interviewed Syzak Aug. 25 at the Indiana sheriff department, he said.
Port Huron Police-St. Clair County Sheriff Major Crimes Unit members
later interviewed Syzak Aug. 26 and 27.Syzak initially said Candace Gilmour, the infant's mother, had dropped the infant while bathing her, Eaton said.Det.
Clifford Reifert -- a retired Port Huron police officer who interviewed
Syzak and Gilmour Oct. 16, 1995 -- also had a similar story from Syzak.Syzak
said Gilmour had told him she was bathing the baby girl when she lost
her grip and caused the infant to fall on her head, Reifert said.He
said the case was never closed because there was never a "satisfactory
conclusion" regarding criminal or non-criminal activity.
http://www.thetimesherald.com/article/20110518/NEWS01/105180310/Witness-Fall-didn-t-cause-injuries

Ind. man convicted in girl's 1995 death in Mich.



4:00 a.m. CDT, May 25, 2011
PORT HURON, Mich.—
An Indiana man charged last year in the 1995 death of his 4-month-old daughter in Michigan after authorities said new evidence was uncovered has been convicted of murder.

A jury in Port Huron on Tuesday found 43-year-old Scott Syzak, of Hobart, guilty of first-degree felony murder in the death of Jessica Syzak following a nearly two-week trial.
He faces life in prison without parole when sentenced July 1.

Defense lawyer Daniel Damman tells the Times Herald of Port Huron that jury members deliberated "very diligently." He previously had described the case as a "witch hunt."

Police say Syzak formerly lived in Port Huron and they didn't have sufficient evidence for charges at the time. Authorities had ruled the death a homicide and said the girl had severe head trauma.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-mi-babysdeath,0,7790763.story