BRADFORD — Prosecutors have agreed to drop murder charges against a Bradford man who has admitted to killing a 1-year-old by causing trauma to her neck and head last year.
Joshua Mize, 30, was initially indicted on murder, felonious assault, and child endangering for the death of Caelyn Colon in September. A plea agreement reached last week showed prosecutors agreed to dismiss the initial indictment in exchange for Mize pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter, child endangering, obstructing justice, tampering with evidence, and theft.
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According to the plea deal, “there is a joint recommendation of a minimum prison term of 15 years and a maximum term of 19 years.” Sentencing has been delayed until May 6 at Miami County Common Pleas Court.
Colon died at Dayton Children’s Hospital after a man called 911 to say she wasn’t breathing at a Bradford home on East Vine Street. Her death was ruled a homicide, Harshbarger said.
“She was just fine,” the male 911 caller said. “Nothing happened. We were just…she has a lot of issues.”
Mize was arrested the day after Colon’s death around 9:30 a.m. by the Clark County Sheriff’s Office after a brief manhunt, Miami County Sheriff Dave Duchak said.
A second caller to 911 was Colon’s mother.
“My daughter isn’t breathing,” a woman told 911 dispatchers. “My boyfriend just called me.”
The woman, who was driving to the East Vine Street address, said her boyfriend called her and told her that her daughter wasn’t breathing and then hung up on her.
Mize previously served prison time for drug trafficking in Clark County and was on parole at the time of his arrest, according to the sheriff’s office.
Mize is still being held in the Miami County Jail.