A 5-year-old Ohio boy who was the centerpiece of an AMBER Alert in February died from asphyxiation after his body was found in a storm drain.
On Tuesday, the Franklin County coroner released the cause of death for Darnell Taylor, which indicated that the victim died from asphyxia “by smothering with cervical neck compression.” The report also revealed his body had signs of decomposition, along with bruising on his face and ears, and eye bleeding.
He also had alcohol in his system, and reportedly choked on the contents of his stomach at the time of his death. His legal guardian, Pammy Maye, 48, is now facing numerous charges after her confession was captured on police body-worn cameras.
“That’s not fair, what I did to my son,” Maye said, according to NBC 4.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, May allegedly suffocated Darnell six hours before an AMBER Alert was issued on February 14. Police apprehended her in Brooklyn, Ohio, on February 15, and she allegedly admitted to leaving his body in a sewage drain.
Police found the victim’s body on February 16, in the 1000 block of Marsdale Avenue in Columbus.
A judge previously deemed Maye competent to stand trial on charges that include aggravated murder, tampering with evidence, and abuse of a corpse. Maye was previously diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and showed signs of possessive and controlling behavior, the Columbus Dispatch reported.
After her arrest, Maye told police that after discovering Darnell had been eating in bed, she placed him in a trash bag, tied it shut, and waited until he stopped moving. She mentioned he had numerous behavioral issues.
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Maye’s husband called 911 on February 14 after she told him Taylor was no longer around. The husband was on the phone with a dispatcher when Maye allegedly tried to cover his mouth and told him she “had a plan.”
“My wife just killed our foster child,” the husband during the 911 call.
Police arrived five minutes after the call, but Maye was already gone. When they located Maye on February 15, she was reportedly walking around in a nightgown near a highway overpass.
She remains jailed on a $4 million bond and scheduled for trial June 24 at the Franklin County Common Pleas Court. Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo: Darnell Taylor/Family Handout]
