The parents of a 3-year-old child in Las Vegas who was allegedly killed by their babysitter addressed the media outside the courthouse where the accused killer was arraigned on Thursday just a day after the child’s death.

Phalan Whitson and Jeremy Ross said they are sickened over what happened to their daughter, Journei. “Seeing her face [the babysitter] for the first time, horrible,” Whitson said. “You did that to my baby. How?”

The accused killer, 41-year-old Marketta Phillips, made her first court appearance on Thursday. Las Vegas Police say Journei’s father was the first to call 911 on the day of the child’s death, telling the dispatcher his daughter had been stabbed by their babysitter.

The 3-year-old girl reportedly suffered multiple stab wounds and was rushed to the hospital where she was later pronounced dead. Phillips had reportedly fled the scene before officers arrived at the family home, according to police.

Whitson described the loss of her daughter as incomparable.

“That was an extension of my soul,” she said. “I just want an explanation. Why? And I want you to go away for a long time.” Journei’s father said he is filled with regret over his daughter’s death.

“I wish I had never met this woman,” he said. “I wish I had just left her alone.”

Ross said Phillips was at his apartment quite a bit and the two were in an on-again-off-again relationship.

“She was doing her thing, I was doing my thing,” he said. “I was trying to help her because she wanted help with her music career.”

Ross added that he didn’t notice any changes in Phillips’s behavior that would have given him any suspicion she was capable of this alleged crime.

“I saw her in the kitchen lying on her side,” Ross said about Phillips. “There was dried-up blood, and I thought she was cooking and cut herself.”

He said that after seeing Philips’s condition he immediately went to check in his daughter.

“I went to the room and saw my baby girl right there,” he recounted. “I said, ‘What did you do to my child?’ And instantly called 911, doing chest compressions, everything for my child … Right when I called 911 is when she booked it out of the house.”

Journei’s mother shared a message for other parents.

“Men, please be aware of who you keep around your children,” she cried. “I’m going to spread awareness of this because this is not right.”

Phillips is currently being held in custody without bond and is scheduled to appear in court again on April 1.