A prisoner serving a life sentence for killing his stepdaughter has been found dead in his cell.
Kyle Bevan was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 28 years for attacking two-year-old Lola James in her home in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, on 17 July 2020. She died four days later.
Bevan, 33, from Aberystwyth, was found dead on Wednesday morning in his cell at HMP Wakefield, police said.
“Investigations into the man’s death are in their early stages and enquiries are being carried out,” West Yorkshire Police said in a statement.
Swansea Crown Court heard evidence that Lola had suffered 101 separate injuries to her body, including a “catastrophic” brain injury.
Bevan claimed Lola had fallen down the stairs after the family dog pushed her.
Her mother, Sinead James, was sentenced to six years for causing or allowing the death of a child.
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A child practice review, commissioned by the Mid and West Wales Safeguarding Children Board, found that an assessment of Lola’s needs was “not properly undertaken” prior to her death.
Child practice reviews are conducted when a child dies or suffers a serious injury and was neither on the child protection register nor a “looked-after child” during the six months before the event.
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The review also identified “a number of missed opportunities by the health visiting service”.
James had not agreed to any home visits during the five-month period from 15 February 2020 to 16 July 2020.
“In future cases, far more probing and challenge is needed by health visitors,” the review found.
‘Monster’ who ‘needs to rot in hell’
During the trial, James described Bevan as a “monster” who “needs to rot in hell” for taking her daughter’s life.
“If I had got him out of the house, my daughter would still be alive today,” she said.
Judge Mr Justice Griffiths said he was sure Bevan “was responsible for multiple assaults on the children before he murdered Lola”.
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Bevan “didn’t get emergency help, he didn’t wake Lola’s mum up. Instead, he tried to cover his tracks,” the judge said.
