Teen Girl Secretly Records Dad Allegedly Coaching Her to Lie About Assaulting Her

Deyon Taylor was additionally charged with intimidation of a witness and hindering apprehension

Photo: AP/REX/Shutterstock

A 13-year-old Pennsylvania girl whose father is accused of assaulting her secretly recorded a conversation with her dad in which he allegedly coaches her to lie during his upcoming trial, PEOPLE confirms.

The unidentified girl requested a private meeting with officials and showed them the video she recorded with her cell phone, during which her father could allegedly be heard telling her to lie against her wishes, a criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE states.

“She said that she was afraid to do this because she knows her father would be very mad and that she is afraid that he will hurt her or her mother,” an affidavit of probable cause obtained by PEOPLE states.

In June, Deyon Taylor, 56, was charged with assaulting a minor child, to which he has pleaded not guilty. He was scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 4. The night before, the child allegedly made two recordings, which she showed to Monroe County’s assistant district attorney.

In the first recording, Taylor allegedly re-enacts the June incident and places his hands around the girl’s throat, the complaint states. He allegedly instructs the girl to tell the judge she was not hurt and to claim she lied about the incident because she was mad at her father for taking away her laptop and not letting her speak to her friends.

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In the second recording, the complaint alleges, the girl asks, “What do I say?” Taylor allegedly tells her, “Did he choke me? No! Did he hurt me? No! Was he being stern with me? Yes!”

The girl’s mother allegedly was also recorded coaching her, but officials believe they were both fearful of Taylor. The girl’s mother is not charged.

After multiple interviews with police, Taylor was charged with intimidation of a witness and hindering apprehension, according to a press release from the District Attorney’s office.

It was not immediately clear if he has entered a plea to the new charges. PEOPLE was unable to reach his attorney.

Taylor was denied bail and scheduled to return to court on Jan. 29.

The girl and her mother were placed in a confidential and secure location.