Arraignment set for the accused killer of three-year-old Jayda Kyle

A 9 a.m. Thursday arraignment has been scheduled in Jasper County Circuit Court for Jalen Dashawn Vaden, 22, Carl Junction, who is charged with second degree murder  and felony child abuse in connection with the December 1 death of three-year-old Jayda Kyle.

Vaden was the live-in boyfriend of Jayda's mother and admitted to Carl Junction Police that he caused the injuries November 28 that resulted in the child's death.

Vaden is being held without bond in the Jasper County Jail.

A description of the crime was provided in the December 7 Turner Report:

When Carl Junction officers responded to 405 Meadow Lake to a report of a child who had been found in her bedroom unresponsive.

Jayda Kyle was taken to Mercy Hospital, Joplin, then airlifted to Children's Mercy Hospital where doctors determined she had "abusive head trauma." She died Friday. The autopsy confirmed the child abuse diagnosis.

Vaden told police he "became upset over the child not being dressed in the pajamas he instructed her to put on." He picked the child up and threw her, causing her to hit her head on the floor, according to the probable cause statement.

A short time later, Vaden said, Jayda left the room still not wearing the pajamas. He said he threw her on the bed, then grabbed her by the leg and threw her face first on the floor.