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An Orrington infant had four broken ribs, retinal hemorrhages and brain swelling at the time of her death on Sunday, an autopsy conducted by the state’s chief medical examiner found.
Chief Medical Examiner Alice Briones ruled 12-week-old Lyla Samuels’ death a homicide, a probable cause affidavit released Wednesday revealed. The brain bleeding was an acceleration-deceleration injury and would not have been found in a healthy child, Briones told police.
Shawn Samuels, 24, is charged with murder in his daughter’s death. Samuels made his first court appearance Wednesday, where a judge set his bail at $250,000.
Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office deputies and EMTs responded to Samuels’ house in Orrington on Jan. 16 after he called 911 because Lyla was unresponsive, the affidavit said. She was then brought to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center.
Lyla was unresponsive when she arrived at the hospital and died on Jan. 18, the affidavit said.
Samuels was the only person with Lyla that day because it was the first day Lyla’s mother, Leah Collins, returned to work after maternity leave, according to the affidavit.
Samuels told police he was feeding Lyla when she stopped breathing and became unresponsive, according to the affidavit. Lyla started breathing again after he tried to burp her but was still unresponsive.
Samuels told police that he had not shaken, dropped or hurt Lyla, according to court records. Samuels said the only explanation for her injuries were how he would bounce Lyla up and down on his knee and swing her side to side in his arms, according to the affidavit.
When asked if he was the only one with Lyla, if he caused the injuries and if her injuries were likely from him bouncing her, Samuels told police “yeah,” according to the affidavit.
Samuels had not yet posted bail and was being held at the Penobscot County Jail as of Wednesday afternoon. He is scheduled to appear in court again next month, WABI reported.