Trial date set for accused infant killer

NORRISTOWN >> A judge has set a February trial date for a Lower Providence man accused of sexually assaulting his 10-month-old daughter who subsequently died after also suffering blunt force head trauma.

The jury trial for Austin Kamal Stevens, 30, formerly of the 3400 block of Germantown Pike, will begin on Feb. 7, 2022, according to an order issued this week by Montgomery County Judge William R. Carpenter. The trial is expected to last five days.

The trial date was selected after a conference between the judge and the lawyers in the case and selected to accommodate the

The judge said Sipko will receive credit for the time he’s spent in jail since Sept. 16, 2019, while awaiting court action on the charges.

As conditions of the sentence the judge also ordered Sipko to undergo a psychosexual evaluation and to have no contact with the victim or other minors.

Sipko, who was 52 years old at the time of the crime,

appeared at the guilty plea hearing via a videoconferencing link from the county jail. Defense lawyer Nicholas Reifsnyder represented Sipko.

“A 52-year-old man who is preying on a 13-yearold deserves to spend significant time in jail,” said county Assistant District Attorney Bridget Gallagher, who sought a lengthy prison term against Sipko.

Gallagher praised the victim for having the courage to come forward and tell law enforcement about the assault.

“We definitely support

her and take it very seriously,” Gallagher said.

The investigation began on July 28, 2019, when Lower Salford police received a report of the Jan. 24 sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl, according to court documents.

The victim disclosed to police that while she was visiting others at the home where Sipko lived, he touched her in an inappropriate manner and had other indecent contact with her while she was sleeping on a couch, according to the criminal complaint filed by Lower Salford Police

Officer Kimberly Kratz, who recently retired.

When police interviewed Sipko, he also allegedly admitted to having numerous text message conversations with the victim, which he initiated, that were sexual in nature, according to the criminal complaint.

Other charges of indecent assault, endangering the welfare of a child, unlawful contact or communication with a minor, corruption of a minor and harassment were dismissed against Sipko as part of the plea agreement.