Shawnee County, KS– A 26-year-old man in Kansas has been sentenced to many years in prison for the sexual assault and murder of a 5-year-old girl last year, which occurred in a makeshift homeless encampment while the girl’s father was working nearby.
Mickel Cherry was in court on Friday, where he admitted guilt to a charge of first-degree murder and a charge of rape related to the tragic death of young Zoey Felix, according to records.
Cherry faced initial charges of capital murder. The Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office decided to dismiss that charge in return for his guilty plea.
According to the laws of Kansas, Cherry is subject to a required minimum sentence of life imprisonment, with the chance for parole after 25 years. The judge overseeing the case has the authority to impose a prison sentence on Cherry that could last as long as 50 years, delaying any chance of parole.
On October 2, 2023, around 6 p.m., Topeka Police Department officers were dispatched to a report concerning a young girl, later named Zoey, who was experiencing life-threatening injuries at a Dillons gas station situated in the 2000 block of S.E. 29th Street in Topeka, as per court documents.
When they reached the site, emergency medical staff from the Topeka Fire Department were already present, administering critical care to the child before swiftly transporting her to a hospital for further treatment.
Regrettably, she did not survive her injuries and was declared deceased shortly after reaching the facility.
Authorities have classified Zoey’s death as suspicious, prompting an immediate homicide investigation.
In a recent announcement, authorities revealed the identity of the victim as Zoey. They confirmed that officers apprehended Cherry, who has been charged with her murder, highlighting that there was a prior acquaintance between Cherry and Zoey.
According to information from sources linked to the investigation, it has been revealed that Cherry and the victim were not family members. However, it was noted that Zoey had been residing in the same outdoor homeless camp as Cherry when she passed away.
A report from The Associated Press reveals that District Attorney Mike Kagay informed the court that after providing a number of inconsistent statements to investigators, Cherry ultimately confessed to sexually assaulting Zoey and then suffocating her with a pillow. Cherry was said to have been left alone with Zoey for approximately five hours while her father was working at a gas station located just across the street from the tragic incident involving his daughter.
A neighbor allegedly informed authorities that the victim had been residing in the homeless camp after Zoey’s mother evicted her and her father from their home two weeks prior to the girl’s death. The residence was said to be in terrible condition, lacking both electricity and water supply.
Officials have yet to reveal the reasons behind Cherry’s presence in the family’s homeless camp or the duration of his acquaintance with Zoey and her father.
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Residents shared with the Topeka Capital-Journal that Zoey was quite independent and frequently spotted exploring the neighborhood on her own.
“Everybody on the block took care of Zoey,” Sheryl Tyree, a woman who does not live in the neighborhood but spends a great deal of time there, told the Capital-Journal. “Everybody loved Zoey, except her parents.”