Attorney says father not responsible for child's death in Hiawatha

An attorney representing the father of a Cedar Rapids toddler who died last year said his client had no involvement in his daughter's death.

Cedar Rapids attorney Michael Lindeman said Zyriah Schlitter denies any actions that caused the death of 18-month-old Kamryn Schlitter, who died March 28 from head trauma. Schlitter is a defendant in a wrongful death civil lawsuit in Linn County District Court.

“He's not involved in the child's death, and has adamantly denied it,” Lindeman said Thursday. “Obviously, there is discovery in this case that will go to that fact.”

Lindeman also clarified that Schlitter denies paragraph 9 of the amended petition, which states: “Either Zyriah Schlitter or Amy Parmer, or both, struck the fatal blows” to Kamryn. A previous SourceMedia Group story inaccurately stated otherwise.

Lindeman said Schlitter admits to paragraph 9 of the original petition, which reads: “In the weeks leading up to her death, Kamryn Schlitter attended daycare at a facility owned and operated by Apple Kids, Inc.”

Lindeman declined to answer other questions about the case.

Kamryn died one week after medics found her suffering from seizure-like symptoms inside an apartment at 245 Clymer Rd. in Hiawatha. According to her death certificate, she died from “non-accidental (inflicted) trauma” to the head.

In the civil lawsuit filed Jan. 27, Kamryn's mother, Nicole King, accuses the girl's father, Zyriah Schlitter, of Cedar Rapids, and Amy Parmer, of Hiawatha, of “beating and abuse” that led to Kamryn's death.

No criminal charges have been filed in the case. Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden said Wednesday the investigation is “active and ongoing,” but declined to answer specific questions.