A father has been arrested in Maine on charges of domestic violence, elevated aggravated assault, and the alleged murder of his 12-week-old daughter. According to a news release from Maine State Police (MSP), the Penobscot Regional Communication Center received a 911 call on Friday (January 16, 2026) reporting that a 12-week-old infant was unresponsive.
The release further stated that the baby was identified as Lyla Samuels. She was taken to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.
The Orrington Fire and Rescue, the Brewer Fire Department, and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call. “Due to the facts and circumstances of the case, the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit-North was called in to investigate,” the MSP news release said.
Probe leads to infant’s father
The investigation into the matter led the officials to the infant’s father, Shawn Samuels, 24. The release said that he was arrested on charges of domestic violence, elevated aggravated assault (Class A), and two counts of violation of bail (Class E) on Saturday, January 17, 2026.
Detectives then learned that Lyla had died the next day on Jan. 18, and “the manner of death was ruled homicide,” according to police. Shawn was arrested based on the January 19, 2026, autopsy report. He was charged with murder at the Penobscot County Jail, according to the news release.
First responders performed CPR
According to the Boston Globe, first responders performed CPR after they arrived at the apartment on Harvest Drive in Orrington, and the child started breathing again, on-scene crews reported. Shawn was arraigned via video at the Penobscot County Judicial Center in Bangor.
According to State Police and first responder transmissions recorded by Broadcastify, fire/rescue from Orrington and Brewer received a 911 call around 11:40 a.m. on Friday. “We’ve got a two-month-old child turning blue,” the dispatcher alerted first responders, as quoted by The Boston Globe.
Autopsy report reveals chilling details
An autopsy report accessed by Bangor Daily News (BDN) stated that Lyla had four broken ribs, retinal hemorrhages, and brain swelling when she died. Chief Medical Examiner Alice Briones found that the brain bleeding was an acceleration-deceleration injury and would not have occurred in a healthy baby.
Father was alone with the child ‘for the first time’
A relative called and reported, “The father of this child is alone with the child for the first time,” the news outlet reported. The infant, Lyla Samuels, was taken to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, where she succumbed to her injuries on Sunday, authorities said.
The state medical examiner concluded the infant’s death was a homicide, although the specific cause remains under investigation, State Police said.
Shawn, who had been charged with domestic violence assault, was charged with murder based on the medical examiner’s findings. Shawn appeared in court on January 21, 2026. A not guilty plea was entered at his arraignment, and bail was set at $250,000. The next court date is set for February 13, 2026.
The release further stated that the baby was identified as Lyla Samuels. She was taken to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.
The Orrington Fire and Rescue, the Brewer Fire Department, and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call. “Due to the facts and circumstances of the case, the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit-North was called in to investigate,” the MSP news release said.
Probe leads to infant’s father
The investigation into the matter led the officials to the infant’s father, Shawn Samuels, 24. The release said that he was arrested on charges of domestic violence, elevated aggravated assault (Class A), and two counts of violation of bail (Class E) on Saturday, January 17, 2026.
Detectives then learned that Lyla had died the next day on Jan. 18, and “the manner of death was ruled homicide,” according to police. Shawn was arrested based on the January 19, 2026, autopsy report. He was charged with murder at the Penobscot County Jail, according to the news release.
First responders performed CPR
According to the Boston Globe, first responders performed CPR after they arrived at the apartment on Harvest Drive in Orrington, and the child started breathing again, on-scene crews reported. Shawn was arraigned via video at the Penobscot County Judicial Center in Bangor.
According to State Police and first responder transmissions recorded by Broadcastify, fire/rescue from Orrington and Brewer received a 911 call around 11:40 a.m. on Friday. “We’ve got a two-month-old child turning blue,” the dispatcher alerted first responders, as quoted by The Boston Globe.
Autopsy report reveals chilling details
An autopsy report accessed by Bangor Daily News (BDN) stated that Lyla had four broken ribs, retinal hemorrhages, and brain swelling when she died. Chief Medical Examiner Alice Briones found that the brain bleeding was an acceleration-deceleration injury and would not have occurred in a healthy baby.
Father was alone with the child ‘for the first time’
A relative called and reported, “The father of this child is alone with the child for the first time,” the news outlet reported. The infant, Lyla Samuels, was taken to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, where she succumbed to her injuries on Sunday, authorities said.
The state medical examiner concluded the infant’s death was a homicide, although the specific cause remains under investigation, State Police said.
Shawn, who had been charged with domestic violence assault, was charged with murder based on the medical examiner’s findings. Shawn appeared in court on January 21, 2026. A not guilty plea was entered at his arraignment, and bail was set at $250,000. The next court date is set for February 13, 2026.
