Hoisington man pleads guilty to death of 2-year-old

A 26-year-old central Kansas man has been sentenced to 21 years in prison over the death of his girlfriend’s toddler daughter.

Chaz Stephens of Hoisington pleaded guilty in April to a charge of intentional second-degree murder in the March 2018 death of 2-year-old Iviona Lewis.  He initially was charged with first-degree murder and faced a possible life sentence.

The Kansas attorney general’s office said Barton County District Judge Mike Keeley handed down the 253-month prison sentence Monday.

Iviona had been gone for 48 hours when she was reported missing.  Her body was found the next day near Hoisington.

Police have said the girl’s mother had been visiting her brother in Great Bend and confusion over who was supposed to care for her led to the delay in reporting her disappearance.

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