31-year-old man, who lost his temper because he thought he purchased fake drugs and took his anger out on his girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter, killing her, was convicted
Maine – In a deeply disturbing case from Maine, a 31-year-old man, identified as T. Witham-Jordan has been convicted of murder after prosecutors said he violently beat his girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter to death during a moment of rage fueled by drug withdrawal and frustration.
A jury found Witham-Jordan guilty of one count of depraved indifference murder in the 2022 death of his girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter. The conviction came after jurors heard evidence that the defendant lashed out at the toddler while in an agitated state after believing the drugs he had purchased were fake and while suffering from opioid withdrawal. Prosecutors argued that Witham-Jordan directed his anger toward the small child, ultimately beating her to death inside the home she shared with her mother and siblings. The verdict followed a nine-day trial. It marked the defendant’s second trial after an earlier attempt ended in a mistrial.
The tragic events came to light early on Christmas Day in 2022. At approximately 7:37 a.m., emergency responders were called to a home after a report that a young child had been found unresponsive in bed. The child’s mother was the one who made the frantic call to emergency services. “Oh my God, I think my daughter’s dead,” she told the dispatcher during the call. The situation inside the home was chaotic and emotional. Witham-Jordan could also be heard in the background of the call expressing panic and despair. “I’m f—ed,” he said. “I’m finished.” Paramedics quickly arrived at the home and attempted to assess the situation. However, it soon became clear that the little girl could not be saved. First responders pronounced the 3-year-old girl dead at the scene. Her body was then transported to a hospital so that medical examiners could determine what had happened.
The findings from the autopsy painted a horrifying picture. According to Maine’s deputy chief medical examiner, the victim had suffered extensive injuries. Investigators documented severe bruising across her face and body, as well as significant internal bleeding in her abdomen and skull. The medical examiner ruled the child’s death a homicide. The official cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma. During the trial, prosecutors explained to the jury that the defendant had been struggling with opioid addiction and was experiencing withdrawal symptoms during the holiday period. Evidence presented in court suggested he was highly irritated and unstable that morning. Witnesses testified that Witham-Jordan had become increasingly frustrated with the children in the household. The young girl had been sick in the days leading up to Christmas, which prosecutors said further increased his anger.
Authorities also revealed that Witham-Jordan believed the drugs he purchased on Christmas Eve were fake. That belief, combined with withdrawal symptoms, allegedly pushed him into a violent outburst. Prosecutors said the defendant then directed his rage toward the small child. According to the state’s case, Witham-Jordan beat the victim with a hairbrush on Christmas Eve. Investigators later recovered the hairbrush and presented it as evidence during the trial. The brush was broken and had a large clump of the child’s hair stuck to it. Additional forensic evidence also linked the defendant directly to the attack. Prosecutors told jurors that his DNA was discovered underneath the toddler’s fingernails as well as on the waistband of her blood-stained diaper.
Investigators also discovered a message sent by Witham-Jordan to the victim’s mother shortly after the attack. In that text, he apologized for being “agitated.” Prosecutors told jurors they believed the message was effectively an apology for what he had done to the child. The case was not the first time the evidence had been presented in court. Witham-Jordan’s first trial began in December 2024 but ended in a mistrial after a powerful moment in the courtroom. During that trial, the child’s mother was shown photographs of her daughter’s injuries. Overcome with grief and emotion, she shouted at the defendant from the witness stand. “What did you do to my baby?” The judge ultimately ruled that the outburst could have influenced the jury and compromised the defendant’s right to a fair trial, leading to the mistrial.
The second trial moved forward with much of the same evidence and testimony. After nine days of proceedings, jurors ultimately reached a unanimous decision. Witham-Jordan was convicted of depraved indifference murder in the death of the 3-year-old girl. The conviction means the 31-year-old man now faces the possibility of spending decades behind bars for the killing of the young child. For the victim’s family, the verdict represents a painful but important step toward justice after the heartbreaking loss of the 3-year-old girl whose life ended violently on the very holiday meant to celebrate family and joy.
