Police considering death of Saltsburg toddler to be homicide

None — SALTSBURG, Pa. -- State police at the Indiana post are investigating the death of an 16-month-old Saltsburg boy on Monday as a homicide, according to a search warrant affidavit.

Colby Jozepzcyk died around noon Monday at Latrobe Hospital, not long after police were called to a housing project along Hemlock Way in Saltsburg.

Neighbors said the boy lived with his mother and older sister in a project run by the Indiana County Housing Authority.

The boy had bruises on his forehead, right cheek and right bicep, police said in the affidavit filed before District Judge Jennifer Rega of Blairsville.

An autopsy was performed, but the manner and cause of death have not been determined, the Westmoreland County Coroner's Office said Wednesday.

Chief Deputy Coroner Paul Cycak said the office is waiting for toxicology test results before making a determination. That process could take a few weeks, he said.

The toddler appeared to be malnourished, Deputy Coroner John Ackerman told police.

The toddler's mother, Kayla Lyons, 25, and her boyfriend, Shawn Anderson-Holmes, 27, told police that Colby was found unresponsive Monday morning in a playpen.

The toddler had a faint pulse, and Anderson-Holmes told police he started CPR while Lyons called police.

Stephanie Rubright, a friend of the family, said the situation is devastating.

“I watched the mom when she was a baby, so like I said, it has to be an act of God,” Rubright said. “He only weighed 15 pounds, but I'm sure it was just an accident or something. I'm not going to bad-mouth anybody before we know for sure."

Police also are investigating an assault on Colby's sister, Ava Jozepczyk, 3, who was at the mother's home on Monday.

The children's father, Jonathan Jozepczyk, 29, told police he has been separated from Lyons since June 2011.

He told police that children and youth services from both Indiana and Westmoreland counties had intervened because of neglect and malnourishment issues.

Jozefczyk told police he took both children to Forbes Regional Hospital in Monroeville on Feb. 17 because of severe bruises on their legs.

Neighbors said they previously expressed concern about the kids and called CYS to make sure they were being taken care of.

“On a few occasions I saw a lack of child care,” Shaleena Rush said. “I was concerned that their well-being was at stake.”

Police said they seized a cellphone, crib, blankets, medicine and a baby bottle from Lyons' home under the search warrant.

This article was written in connection with Channel 11 News exchange partners at TribLIVE.

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