Man Arrested For Watonga Girl's Murder

Jennifer Pierce, News 9

WATONGA, Oklahoma -- Authorities have taken booked a man into jail on a murder complaint of an 8-year-old Watonga girl.

A man found his eight-year-old daughter Rosalyn Reynolds' body around 5 a.m. Wednesday behind an apartment building at 500 Leach Street in Watonga. Police said the father saw the girl's cousin, 20-year-old James Daukei, in the field with the body. Daukei ran from the scene when confronted by the girl's father and two other men.

Erma said her cousin James Daukei and her children were asleep when she left her apartment early Wednesday morning, but when she came back, she made the gruesome discovery.

"The bathroom was...I looked in there and my toilet was full of blood-- in the toilet, the floor, the walls," Erma said. 

Rosalyn, or Rosa as her family called her, was Erma's daughter.

"They said they found my baby in a field, and he was fixin to bury her and he took off," Emma said.

Daukei, who's also known as Icey, was taken into custody booked into jail just before 10 a.m. after someone spotted him walking on State Highway 8 north of Watonga.

"We did make a visual spotting of him near a wooded area. We searched the area and took him into custody," said Blaine County Sheriff Ricky Ainsworth.

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation is handling the case, along with the Watonga Police Department and the Blaine County Sheriff's Office. They have not yet released details on how the girl died nor a motive but said alcohol was involved. 

Erma said she has always been there for Daukei, which is why she doesn't understand why he turned on her child.

"I have no idea why he did it. I just want to know why...why he took my baby," Erma said. "She wouldn't hurt nobody. She was friendly. She was a very good girl."

Watonga schools were put on lock down during the manhunt. All the students have been notified about Rosa's death and counselors were on hand.

Daukei will likely face a murder and kidnapping charge. He also has a pending felony charge in Blaine County as well as several misdemeanor charges.

Donations to family can be made at Feather Warrior Casinos in Canton and Watonga or at Lucky Star Casinos in Concho and Clinton. For more information on how you can help Rosa's family, call 580-623-7333 or 580-886-2490.