It could be that the child is sick and not acting up to expectations.

It could be that the caregiver has financial problems, is emotionally immature, had a bad day at work or grew up with child abuse.

Any of these factors alone might not be enough to cause the caregiver to strike a child.

“You put them all together and they can become an explosive situation where an adult trying to control a situation or trying to control a child is unable to stop themselves,” said Vickie Burgess McArthur, vice president of the Kansas Children’s Service League. “It oftentimes is a desperate act of trying to gain control.”

Prosecutors and police have not yet claimed whether that’s what happened in the case of a Lawrence man charged with killing a 3-year-old girl during the weekend when he was supposed to be taking care of her.

Jason W. Dillon, 22, a former foster child, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend’s daughter, Sydni C. Perkins. Prosecutors alleged that as Sydni’s mother was at work Saturday, Dillon abused the girl repeatedly by shaking her, knocking her to the ground and bludgeoning her with his hand.

Jason W. Dillon, 22, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend's 3-year-old daughter, Sydni C. Perkins.

Police said they have no record of calls to the family’s apartment in the 1100 block of George Court, and it’s not clear whether the alleged abuse was a one-time incident or part of a pattern.

“A lot of parents have the emotional intelligence to walk away from the situation before they become abusive,” McArthur said. “Other parents do not have that skill set, or they may not have that skill set on that particular day but have it on other days.”

‘Not violent’

Dillon told a judge in his first appearance that he was not a violent person and that he lived for 4 1/2 years at O’Connell Youth Ranch.

Just because Dillon lived in foster care, however, doesn’t mean he was abused as a child. It simply means his family couldn’t provide all the care he needed.

Calls to the youth ranch were not returned Thursday. The girl’s mother, identified as 21-year-old Rachel Perkins, has not returned messages left on her phone and at the family’s home.

Dillon is charged with a form of first-degree murder commonly known as “felony murder,” which is killing someone while committing an inherently dangerous felony, in this case child abuse.

He is listed in the Lawrence High School yearbook as a 2001 graduate who played football and threw the javelin. Track coach Scott Stidham, then an assistant coach, said he didn’t know the details of Dillon’s family circumstances.

“We have so many kids that are in group homes that I stopped asking,” he said.

Several LHS football players said they didn’t remember Dillon at all or only vaguely recall him.

“I can’t say that I know him,” Mike Morrell said. “I know the name, but I really didn’t talk to him. I probably never talked to him.”

Nick Hirschey, 22, said he knew Dillon and talked to him occasionally but didn’t remember much about him.

“He was just a quiet guy, kind of more on the sidelines, not getting in anybody’s way and kind of going about his business,” Hirschey said. “He was kind of aloof and didn’t really do anything to make himself stand out, and that’s probably why not many people can remember him.”

Dillon remained in the Douglas County Jail on Thursday with bond set at $150,000. His next court date will be June 29 before Judge Michael Malone.