Westtown Man, Charged In Torture Of Child, Found Dead In Prison

WEST CHESTER, PA — A man charged with attempted homicide in the beating and torture of his girlfriend's 9-year-old daughter was found dead in Chester County Prison where he was awaiting trial.

Dimitrios Moscharis, 34, of Westtown, was reported dead on June 18, the Chester County District Attorney's Office confirmed. Moscharis would have turned 35 on July 11.

Court records show the last action in Chester County Court was on June 17.

"Because this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot comment further," said Michelle Bjork of the Chester County District Attorney's Office.

Chester County Coroner Christina VandePol, M.D. said on Wednesday, "The cause and manner of death are under investigation at this time and we do not anticipate finishing this investigation until 6-8 weeks after the date of death."

Moscharis's attorney, Brian McCarthy, also confirmed his client died suddenly on June 18 and that an investigation is ongoing.

"The results of the autopsy by the Chester County Coroner as well as the results of a second independent autopsy, solicited by the family, are pending," McCarthy told Patch. "Simply put, no one seems to know anything at this time," he said.

McCarthy added, "Mr. Moscharis was presumed innocent until proven guilty. His untimely and shocking death deprived him of his day in court to fight the charges against him. There will never be closure as to the case against him. The family is hopeful that, at some point, hopefully soon, there will at least be closure as to the cause of his death."

McCarthy said Moscharis "came from a very close-knit family, who I have known for some time."

"They are heartbroken and overwhelmed with grief. I ask that the public respect their privacy during this difficult time for them," McCarthy said.

Moscharis and the child victim's mother, Julianne Lewis, 31, were both charged in the late 2020 case the District Attorney called "despicable." Both have awaited trials in Chester County after Lewis's 9-year-old daughter was found to be severely abused and tortured, near death, in late November.

Moscharis was charged with Attempted Homicide and Strangulation Blocking Nose and Mouth, False Imprisonment of a Minor, Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse with Serious Bodily Injury, and other crimes.

Bail was set at $350,000 for Julianne Lewis, 31, who remains in Chester County Prison, but bail was denied for Moscharis, according to court documents.

The Chester County District Attorney's Office and the Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department late on Thanksgiving Day 2020 charged Lewis, of West Chester, with multiple counts of Aggravated Assault, Kidnapping a Minor, Endangering the Welfare of a Child, False Imprisonment, Conspiracy, and related charges for her alleged role in the brutal beating, systemic abuse, and neglect of her 9-year old daughter.

The condition of the 9-year-old girl who was beaten nearly to death was last reported as critical, but no update has been available for months. The Chester County District Attorney's Office on Feb. 8 said there were no updates on the victim’s condition. The hospital where the child was taken has declined to provide an update on her condition.

Medical professionals assessed the child's injuries to be consistent with trauma and child torture, officials said in November. As authorities investigated further they discovered both adults participated in the systematic abuse and torture of the child, the district attorney’s office has reported.

To read about a child abuse prevention training program the Chester County District Attorney's Office offers to help adult citizens identify abuse, go here.

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