A jury found a Newark man guilty of killing his infant daughter in October 2023 in Utica after a four-day trial.
Licking County Common Pleas Judge David Branstool sentenced Chance T. Topp, 29, to 15 years to life in prison during a July 31 hearing. Jurors found Topp guilty of murder, involuntary manslaughter, endangering children, assault, strangulation and other charges and not guilty of aggravated murder.
Prosecutors said Topp suffocated his 4-month-old daughter after holding a pacifier in her mouth with enough force to block her airways.
Utica police responded to a report of an unresponsive infant, and first responders found the daughter lying motionless in a home and some injuries on her neck and jawline. Licking Memorial Hospital staff said she had died an hour later, according documents.
“I’m glad that we finally have justice after three years for my daughter,” the child’s mother, Keegan Richter, told The Advocate. “The word lost a lot of smiles the day she died. I’m kind of ready for this entire chapter to be behind me.”
Topp didn’t testify in his own defense at the trial. He sat quietly next to his lawyer and didn’t speak during sentencing. He looked forward when the daughter’s family members read impact statements.
Topp’s attorney, April Campbell, declined to comment. During sentencing, she said she plans to appeal the verdict.
Daughter’s family say Topp ‘never loved’ her
Amy Richter, the baby’s grandmother, told Topp during sentencing that he “never loved” his daughter and that he viewed her as a burden. Richter in her testimony criticized Topp multiple times about his approach to his daughter’s care, and said she had asked him what he had done after arriving home seeing her unresponsive.
“You took her breath away,” Richter said. “You took her smile and giggles. You took away her ability to have a beautiful life. You took away a future full of adventures and dreams. You took away the trip to the zoo that we wanted to go on so badly.
“You took away fireflies and snowmen. You took her first Christmas and birthday gifts and birthday party. You took ABCs.. you took away the ability for her beautiful eyes to see this world.”
Keegan Richter also spoke during sentencing, stating that she lamented that Topp had lied to her about their daughter’s death and how much she defended him when others didn’t.
“I spent nine months getting to know her better than I knew myself,” Keegan Richter said. “Everywhere I went, she was there – to work, my parents house, to every appointment for me and her.
“When she was born, the very first thing I said to my mother was, ‘I made this. I made this tiny, perfect little girl.’ I got four-and-a-half months with my best friend before he killed her.”
Some trial testimony focused on baby’s injuries
The trial included testimony from several witnesses, including Kent Harshbarger, a doctor who, in a report, opined that the manner of death was likely a homicide. Harshbarger considered factors such as the autopsy report, the daughter’s injuries and statements Topp gave to detectives.
Campbell argued that evidence didn’t show that the pacifier obstructed her airways.
Keegan Richter testified that she was at work when a relative called reporting that the baby was unresponsive. She raced home and gave the baby CPR before first responders took over.
In closing arguments, Licking County Assistant Prosecutor Tyler McCoy said Topp caused the death of his daughter, citing her injuries, such as bruising to her neck and jawline. He argued that Topp suffocated her when he held a pacifier against her face too hard for an extended period.
McCoy also cited interviews Topp gave to detectives where he told them he “accidentally held the pacifier in her mouth too hard.” In a phone call from jail with his former girlfriend, Topp said he held the pacifier in her mouth.
“The sustained act of violence is purpose, and [the daughter] is no longer here today because of Chance Terrence Topp, who murdered his child,” McCoy said as part of his closing argument.
During closing, Campbell countered that evidence wasn’t strong enough to determine intent, and that the daughter could have suffered from sudden infant death syndrome. She cited the coroner’s report, which ruled the daughter died of asphyxia but didn’t list a manner of death because of ambiguous circumstances.
Campbell also argued that Topp felt some pressure during initial and follow-up interviews with detectives and that their tactics led to some of his statements.
“This is someone who did not want their baby to die,” Campbell said. “This is someone who sought help when he heard gasping, and tried to see if there was anything in her throat, tried to do CPR.”
Family says they can start healing now
“We’re just happy that [the daughter] got justice and that the victim’s family had the ability to be heard in court,” McCoy told The Advocate. McCoy also credited the work of Detective Shane Rockey, who interviewed Topp after the event as part of his investigation.
Detectives investigated the case for 20 months before arresting Topp on June 18, 2025. Keegan Richter said those initial months were difficult because she didn’t believe Topp would commit such an act. She said she became a bit more clear minded last October after realizing that “someone who loves their kids doesn’t do that.”
“We’ve already healed a lot because it’s been three years, but this is going to let our healing really start,” Keegan Richter said.
Advocate reporter Josué Perez can be reached at jhperez@newarkadvocate.com.
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Newark man found guilty of killing infant daughter in Utica
Reporting by Josué Perez, Newark Advocate / Newark Advocate
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By Josué Perez, Newark Advocate | USA TODAY Network
