Ohio man charged with murder after allegedly shaking, slamming baby who later died

PIQUA, OH — A 34-year-old Ohio man is facing murder charges after allegedly admitting to violently shaking and slamming a 1-year-old girl’s head on the floor, causing fatal injuries, authorities said.

Michael Mayor was arrested on December 11 following a December 5 incident in which the toddler suffered severe head trauma while in his care. The baby girl, whose name has not been released, died on December 20 as a result of the injuries, according to court documents obtained by local media.

The alleged assault occurred while Mayor was left alone with the child. His wife, who provides babysitting services in the Dayton area, was reportedly watching the baby that day but left her in Mayor’s care while taking other children to school. When the babysitter returned, Mayor allegedly told her the baby was napping. Hours later, the babysitter noticed the child was breathing but unresponsive and called 911.

Emergency responders transported the toddler to Dayton Children’s Hospital, where doctors found a skull fracture, subdural hematoma, and other “complex” injuries consistent with a “massive impact.” Investigators determined that Mayor had been alone with the child when the injuries occurred.

During an interview with police, Mayor allegedly admitted to shaking the baby when she wouldn’t stop crying and slamming her head on the bedroom floor multiple times. According to the police report, he said the assault was not done on blankets and continued until the child stopped crying.

Mayor was initially charged with felonious assault and child endangerment, but those charges were upgraded after the baby’s death. He now faces additional charges, including murder.

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