Home / Crime and Justice / Maine Father Charged in Baby's Death
Maine Father Charged in Baby's Death
26 Jan
Summary
- Father charged with murder after infant's death.
- Baby Lyla died in hospital, ruled a homicide.
- Fundraising effort supports grieving family.
A father in Maine, Shawn S. Samuels, 24, faces a murder charge in connection with the death of his infant daughter, Lyla Samuels, who was only 12 weeks old. The tragedy unfolded on Friday, January 16, when emergency services responded to a 911 call reporting the baby was unresponsive. Arriving at the Orrington residence, first responders performed CPR, and the infant began breathing before being rushed to a Bangor hospital.
Investigating detectives arrested Samuels the following day on charges including Domestic Violence Elevated Aggravated Assault. Sadly, baby Lyla died in the hospital on Sunday, January 18. The state medical examiner officially determined her death to be a homicide, prompting the murder charge against Samuels. He has pleaded not guilty and is being held on $250,000 bail.
Lyla's mother, Leah Collins, described her daughter as a "gift from God." A GoFundMe page established to support the family had raised over $11,000 by Monday morning. Maine State Police have stated that Lyla's death is an isolated incident with no ongoing public safety concerns. Samuels' next court date is scheduled for February 13.
