Stepfather of infant found in trash transferred to Douglas County to face attempted murder, abuse charges

Law enforcement officers stand guard at an apartment complex in the 2500 block of West Sixth Street, where police say an infant was found in a trash receptacle early Thursday, July 7, 2016.

A Lawrence man accused of attempting to murder his nine-month-old stepdaughter has been transferred to the Douglas County Jail to face criminal charges.

Marquis Young, 27, was transferred Thursday from the Johnson County Jail to the Douglas County Jail, said Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Kristen Dymacek.

Young was in Johnson County Jail serving a sentence after he was convicted of battering his wife, Sheena Young, in July. The two were arrested together earlier that same month in Jefferson County.

Marquis Young

Young is facing felony charges of attempted first-degree murder and abuse of a child. He also faces a single charge of violating his probation.

On July 7 police found an infant girl inside an apartment complex’s trash receptacle in the 2500 block of West Sixth Street. She suffered serious injuries, received treatment at a Kansas City-area hospital, and was later released.

The apartments in the complex are owned and managed by Country Club on 6th.

And while police did not clarify specifically where the child was found, multiple residents at the complex said the apartments all share a centralized dumpster, which also compacts trash.

Several days after the baby was found in the dumpster Marquis and Sheena Young were arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct at Perry Lake, where they were accused of arguing in a disorderly manner. Both were released from jail after posting a bond of $3,000 each.

Marquis Young, who has at least two battery convictions and one felony obstruction conviction, was then arrested on July 22 after he was accused of battering Sheena Young.

Marquis and Sheena Young have been married for less than a year.

Marquis Young is currently being held in the Douglas County Jail in lieu of a $100,000 bond. He is next scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 27 at 2 p.m.