Ohio woman charged in death of 5-month-old in her care

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — A woman who ran an in-home daycare in Ohio has been charged in the death of a 5-month-old boy.

51-year-old Tammra Straughter is currently booked in the Franklin County Jail on charges of murder and endangering children, according to online jail records.

She was indicted by a Franklin County grand jury last week, WBNS reported.

The charges stem from an incident that happened at her home in the 7000 block of White Butterfly Lane on Oct. 9, 2023, according to WBNS.

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Reynoldsburg police said the boy was in Straughter’s care at the time of “the incident” that led to his death.

Officers and medics were called to the home on a report of a child who was not breathing, WBNS reported. When they arrived, the 5-month-old was breathing and evaluated by medics who said he appeared to be in “normal condition.”

He was then released to his mother who took him to Nationwide Children’s Urgent Care. When the mother and child got to urgent care, the affidavit says the boy was placed on an ambulance to be transferred to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, but the ambulance had to stop at Mount Carmel East to stabilize him because he “coded” for approximately 45 minutes, according to WBNS.

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Medical staff advised officers that the boy suffered physical abuse and shaken baby syndrome.

A detective interviewed the mother and Straughter who said the boy was perfectly healthy, unharmed and smiling when he was dropped off at the daycare with his twin brother, WBNS reported.

Straughter stated that he became “fussy” throughout the day so she was holding him a lot, according to the affidavit. She reportedly said she laid him on his back on the floor to help another child and when she got back she saw that he had spit up and appeared to be aspirating, WBNS reported.

She then reportedly attempted to clear his airway with his bib and a nasal aspirator, patted his back and gave him rescue breaths before calling 911.

According to WBNS, Straughter later consented to a detective searching her phone and the detective reportedly found messages that showed her complaining of the twin boys’ “fussiness.”

Police are still investigating what happened.

Straighter is set to be arraigned on Feb. 28 at 1 p.m.

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