14 Month Old Toddler Savagely Beaten to Death by Mother’s ‘Live-In’ Boyfriend

Undated Photo: Adam Joseph Barney, 23

A toddler was savagely beaten to death in a motel room by her Mother’s ‘Live-In’ boyfriend while the mother was away at work on August 25th 2014.

Authorities said Adam Joseph Barney, 23, of Utah, called 911 to say that a child in his care was not waking up from her nap.

When emergency crews arrived at Western Colony Inn at 234 24th St. on August 25th, they found 14-month old Kenzie Rose, a toddler, dead.

Barney, 23, has been charged with aggravated murder after he told police that he “snapped” while watching the baby and two other children.

A 3-year-old and a 5-year-old were also removed from the motel room and have been placed in the care of the Division of Child and Family Services.

The toddler’s mother, Kaci Rupert, said Barney was taking care of the children while she was away at work.

Rupert was quoted as saying “I needed someone I could trust to be there with the kids and I didn’t see this coming at all; there had been no warning signs,”

She went on to say the children often told her “he was fun” and “was great to be around.”

Barney reportedly told police he hit and squeezed the child several times until she stopped crying because he was mad that the hotel room was dirty, the other children were misbehaving and the baby wouldn’t stop crying.

An autopsy report concluded the child died of internal hemorrhaging due to blunt force trauma to the abdominal area.

Adam Joseph Barney is currently in custody and a preliminary hearing is set for Jan. 2.

He has been charged with aggravated murder, a first degree felony. If convicted, he could potentially face the death penalty.