"It is unthinkable that this innocent child could have been treated in such a callous and evil manner," Clermont County Prosecutor Mark Tekulve said
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NEED TO KNOW
- Marcellaus Malone was indicted in connection with the Dec. 11, 2025, death of his 4-month-old daughter
- He pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, involuntary manslaughter, domestic violence and seven counts of endangering children
- Authorities allege Malone abused his daughter, including making threats against her life, for months before her death
A 30-year-old Ohio man has been indicted on several charges in connection with the death of his 4-month-old daughter.
Marcellaus Malone was indicted on charges of murder, involuntary manslaughter, domestic violence and seven counts of endangering children on Tuesday, April 21, in Clermont County court, according to court records viewed by PEOPLE. If convicted on all counts, Malone faces life in prison.
He pleaded not guilty on Wednesday, April 22, according to Fox 19. His bond was set at $3 million, per the court records.
Authorities responded to his home on Dec. 11, 2025, and found an unresponsive infant girl, prosecutors said, per Fox 19. She was transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The night the baby died, her mother appropriately swaddled her, and Malone put her in the bassinet, according to the investigation, per Fox 19. He was allegedly the last person to see the infant alive.
The mother then called 911 at 12:30 a.m. on Dec. 11, reporting that the baby girl wasn't breathing. She told the dispatcher that both she and the baby's father administered CPR, according to Local 12. The dispatch call allegedly recorded Malone saying, "Come on baby."
The infant's autopsy revealed “reported history of occlusion of the nose and mouth by swaddling of the body and head,” which contributed to her death, Clermont County Prosecutor Mark Tekulve said, per Fox 19.
Tekulve claimed that an investigation into the baby's death found abuse had begun at least two months before the Dec. 11 incident, WLWT reports.
"Investigators discovered a video of Malone making threats to the baby,” Clermont County Assistant Prosecutor Nick Horton said in court on Wednesday, April 22, reports Local 12. “Telling her that she was going to be a dead baby and that he was going to toss her on the bed if she pissed him off."
Malone allegedly swaddled the baby to the point where she could not breathe and passed out, Horton said.
"On at least one occasion, he punched the infant in the face for crying, causing significant bruising," Horton told the court, reports Local 12.
Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
“Children are our most precious gifts. It is unthinkable that this innocent child could have been treated in such a callous and evil manner," Tekulve said on Tuesday, per Fox 19. "This Office is dedicated to holding accountable those who would do such unspeakable violence to our county's most vulnerable."
PEOPLE reached out to Tekulve and the Clermont County Sheriff's Office for additional information.
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If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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