HOUSTON -- A Harris County grand jury has indicted Lucas Coe on a charge of sexually assaulting 4-year-old Emma Thompson, the little girl he's accused of killing.
The Spring girl died at a Woodlands hospital on June 27. The autopsy showed Emma had "80 contusions, a severe head laceration, a scalp hemorrhaging, skull fracture, internal bleeding, a severe tear and hemorrhaging to the vagina."
The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the abdominal area which had caused several internal injuries.
Emma's mother, Abigail Elizabeth Young, initially told investigators Emma was hurt when she fell out of bed.
"The statements given by both the mother of the child and the boyfriend were inconsistent with injuries presented," said Anthony Kelly, who worked on the case.
Coe and Young were both arrested and charged with felony injury to a child.
CPS began investigating the family in early June after Emma's father called to report she was covered in bruises. Her pediatrician had also contacted CPS because he suspected blisters in her mouth and genital area were caused by genital herpes.
An exam at Texas Children's Hospital found no evidence of sexual abuse so CPS didn't remove Emma from the home. Weeks later, she was dead.
Because of Emma's case, CPS decided to use more aggressive procedures when investigating allegations of abuse in children with sexually transmitted diseases.
Emma's two sisters have been placed with grandparents.
Sheriff's detectives say they are looking into every child the couple has come into contact with, including Coe's own 4-year-old daughter.
CPS also had investigated Coe three times in unrelated cases involving another girlfriend's child. He has a criminal history that includes charges of assault with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief.
Coe remains jailed without bond.
If convicted, he and Young could be sentenced up to life in prison.
Editor's Note: The Houston Chronicle contributed to this story
