2-year-old suffocated, mom and boyfriend charged with murder, Ohio officials say
_fitted.png "A 2-year-old girl in Ohio died from suffocation, officials say. Now her mom and her mom’s boyfriend are charged with murder.")
A couple in Ohio are facing murder charges after officials say a 2-year-old girl was suffocated to death.
Just after 9 a.m. July 1, police in West Union were called to a home after reports of an unresponsive 2-year-old, according to a news release from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office.
The girl was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.
Tien Hawkins, 25, and Brian Moser (also known as Terry Smith III), 23, were arrested at the home, deputies said.
According to WXIX, Hawkins is the child’s mother and Moser is the mother’s boyfriend. Moser called 911 when the girl was found unresponsive, the outlet reported.
“I don’t know if they suffocated last night or what,” he said in the 911 call, according to WXIX. “There’s no way. She’s dead. I just woke up and found her.”
The Montgomery County coroner confirmed to WLWT that the girl died from suffocation.
Initially, Moser was charged with involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment, before both were charged with murder on July 9, WKRC reported.
The girl’s mother is also charged with child endangerment, involuntary manslaughter and permitting child abuse, court records show.
The girl’s biological father later identified the toddler to WXIX as Lilith Burkhardt.
Lilith had “a light so bright, it filled every corner of her family’s world,” her obituary said.
West Union is about a 70-mile drive southeast of Cincinnati.
This story was originally published July 10, 2025 at 1:44 PM with the headline "2-year-old suffocated, mom and boyfriend charged with murder, Ohio officials say."
