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Father charged with murder after death of 12-week-old daughter in Maine
Little Lyla Samuels was reportedly left alone with her father for the first time before the tragedy
A 24-year-old father from Maine has been arrested and charged with the murder of his 12-week-old daughter, Lyla Samuels.
Emergency services were called to a home on 16 January after reports that the infant was unresponsive.
Although first responders managed to restore her breathing through CPR, the little girl tragically died in the hospital two days later.
The investigation into the "suspicious" circumstances led to the arrest of Shawn Samuels. According to an autopsy report, the infant suffered brain swelling, retinal haemorrhages, and four broken ribs.
The Chief Medical Examiner concluded that the brain injuries were consistent with an "acceleration-deceleration" event, ruling the death a homicide.
Shockingly, a relative reportedly mentioned to dispatchers during the initial emergency call that it was the first time the father had been left alone with the child.
Samuels appeared in court on 21 January, where he entered a plea of not guilty. He is currently being held on a $250,000 bond.
Meanwhile, Lyla’s mother, Leah Collins, paid a heartbreaking tribute to her daughter, describing her as "a gift from God, returned to Heaven much too soon."
A community fundraiser has since raised over $10,000 to assist the grieving family with funeral costs and living expenses. Samuels is expected back in court on 13 February as the legal process continues.