A Michigan father is charged with the murder of his daughter two years after her disappearance.
Sean Phillips, 23, from western Michigan was arraigned in court on Friday. According to the Muskegon Chronicle, Phillips was convicted last year of "falsely imprisoning 4-month-old Katherine Phillips and sentenced to 15 to 20 years."
"New evidence has been discovered which supports a murder charge in this case," Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said at a news conference in Mason County.
Shuette did not divulge details about the "new evidence" during the press conference, the Associated Press reports.
"Before the news conference, Mason County District Court Magistrate Patricia Baker confirmed that she had signed and issued an arrest warrant Friday charging Phillips with open murder," the Chronicle reports. "That charge allows a jury to decide whether to convict a defendant of first-degree murder, second-degree murder or manslaughter, or to acquit."
Kate's body has not been found.
"The arrest warrant alleges Phillips murdered the baby June 29, 2011, the day she went missing at the age of 4 ½ months," the Chronicle reports.
According to AP, Phillips was arraigned during a videoconference with Baker, who will appoint an attorney to represent him. He is currently serving his prison term of 10 to 15 years for unlawful imprisonment at Carson City Correctional Facility. Phillips was convicted in April 2012.
Ariel Courtland, baby Kate's mother, attended the news conference along with members of her family. Courtland declined to comment, but her mother April Lange spoke to the media.
"Hopefully he has been finally charged. It would be nice if they find my granddaughter," Lange said.
Lange's mother, Linda Carlson, also gave a statement to the media.
"It's been a long time coming," Carlson said. "I'm glad they're going to charge him with murder, because that's what he did. ... I'll be glad to get it over with, to get some closure."
