A man in West Virginia has admitted he’s guilty of murder in the death of a 3-month-old baby.
John Michael Tames said in court that he was guilty of second-degree murder and child abuse that led to the baby’s death. This happened on Thursday, December 18, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.
Tames was watching the baby, named Everly, when she got hurt. She had bleeding in her brain and broken bones.
On January 5, 2024, officials were called to Tames’ house because the baby was said to be in cardiac arrest.
Everly was taken to a hospital but died a month later.
Tames was first charged with child abuse, but after the baby died, the charges were changed to murder.
Tames told the police that he got upset and swung the baby back and forth. Later, he said that the baby’s head might have hit the floor hard enough to break her skull.
Tames will be sentenced on February 6, 2026, in Jackson County. He could spend 15 years to life in prison.
Sheriff Ross Mellinger said the abuse was “brutal” and hopes the judge gives Tames a harsh sentence.
If you think a child is being abused, you can call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or visit www.childhelp.org. The hotline is free, private, and available all the time in many languages.
