According to reports by Rapid City Police officers, the incident on Friday unfolded this way:
Brandi White, the girl's mother, told one of the doctors at Regional that when she left for work Friday morning, her daughter was fine. Houchin was in charge of the child's care that morning, White told the doctor.
The girl and Houchin were at his apartment in the 400 block of Willsie Avenue in Rapid City.
At some point, Houchin picked up Brandi White from her workplace and the two took L'naya to the emergency room sometime after 11 a.m. Friday. L'naya died about 45 minutes later.
A coroner summoned police to Regional Hospital about 12:30 p.m. They made contact with Houchin, Brandi White, and an emergency room doctor.
The doctor informed investigators that the child had been “obviously anally raped.”
"I should have stayed home from work," Brandi White told officers at the hospital. "I should have known better."
Houchin was detained at Regional Hospital as the only suspect in the investigation into the child’s death.
In a recorded interview with investigators, Houchin admitted that he had vigorously shaken the child on three separate occasions, Police Investigator Paul Stevens said in his report.
Houchin told investigators he was the only person who had access to the child during the morning hours of June 26 while Brandi White was at work.
He was arrested later Friday evening.