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A Roy man is accused of smothering his 2-year-old stepdaughter to stop her from making noise at bed time.
Robert G. Abbott, 31, was arrested on suspicion of child abuse homicide after the girl's mother found the child dead in her bed Friday morning, said Roy police Chief Greg Whinham.
Abbott later told police he disciplined the child Thursday by holding her face down in a pillow until she quit crying, Whinham said.
"The disclosure he made to us is this is something that had been done before," Whinham said.
The girl's mother found the girl was unresponsive when she went to wake up her four children.
Whinham would not comment on whether investigators believe Abbott abused his other children, ages 7, 3 and 1. Abbott is the biological father of the three surviving children, Whinham said.
Police are not releasing the victim's name pending notification of her birth father, Whinham said.
Abbott was booked into jail Friday but has since been released on bail.
Erin Alberty