On the morning of December 25, 2022, three-year-old Makinzlee Handrahan was found unresponsive and not breathing in her family's apartment at Davis Island Townhomes in Edgecomb, Maine. Her mother called 911 at approximately 7:37 a.m. after finding the child cold, stiff, and bruised. First responders found bruises all over the girl's body, and she was pronounced dead at Miles Memorial Hospital in Damariscotta. The medical examiner determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma with internal injuries, and the manner of death was homicide. Tyler Witham-Jordan, the mother's 29-year-old boyfriend who was living in the home, was ultimately charged with depraved indifference murder. Evidence included his DNA under the child's fingernails and on a broken plastic hairbrush that contained clumps of the child's hair. Investigators determined Witham-Jordan had been awake all night on Christmas Eve and was experiencing opioid withdrawal. A prior DHHS investigation had been opened in October after the child's daycare reported scratches and bruises. Witham-Jordan was found guilty of murder following a second trial, after the first trial ended in a mistrial.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Document 4 (WGME court documents) states: "The medical examiner ruled her cause of death blunt force trauma and says she had internal injuries." It also reports "First responders say they found bruises all over the little girl's body" and that a "plastic hairbrush was broken and had Witham-Jordan's DNA on it, as well as Handrahan's." Document 5 (WABI) describes the defendant as having been "accused of beating a young girl to death" and notes "a broken hairbrush with large clumps of Makinzlee's hair stuck in the bristles." These details explicitly describe inflicted blunt force injuries.
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Multiple documents identify Tyler Witham-Jordan as the mother's boyfriend who was living with the family. Document 1 (WGME) states: "investigators say Witham-Jordan was dating and living with Handrahan's mother." Document 5 (WABI) confirms: "Witham-Jordan was the boyfriend of Makinzlee's mother" and that he was found guilty of murder.
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Document 4 (WGME court documents) states: "the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office says there was a DHHS investigation the previous October after Handrahan's daycare reported she had a scratch and bruises, which her mother and Witham-Jordan said were caused by a cat scratch and falling on the stairs." This explicitly establishes a prior child protection report for this child before her death.
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Document 1 (WGME) states: "state police arrested Tyler Witham-Jordan, charging him with the murder of three-year-old Makinzlee Handrahan." Document 5 (WABI) confirms: "Witham-Jordan was arrested on Oct. 6, 2023, and charged with depraved indifference murder" and that he was ultimately "found guilty of murder."
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Document 1 (WGME) states that Handrahan's mother described Witham-Jordan as "verbally, mentally and physically abusive" and quoted her court filing: "Tyler has held me down to not let me up after screaming at me and trying to bite me." This explicitly describes domestic violence by the caregiver in the home.
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Document 4 (WGME court documents) states: "there is evidence Witham-Jordan was up all night on Christmas Eve and that he was going through opioid withdrawal." Document 5 (WABI) corroborates: "Prosecutors said Witham-Jordan was experiencing opioid withdrawal on that Christmas morning." This explicitly references substance use by the caregiver (opioid use/dependency).
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from the documents. Document 5 (WABI) reports that "This marked the second time Witham-Jordan has stood trial for Makinzlee's murder. A mistrial was declared in his initial murder trial on Dec. 11, 2024" when the mother (Faith Lewis) "began screaming when prosecutors showed her images of her daughter's body and she left the witness stand in tears." The second trial was moved to Sagadahoc County for a "fresh, untainted jury pool." Document 1 (WGME) reports that after the child's death, the mother withdrew her protection order against Witham-Jordan in January. Document 4 (WGME court documents) reveals a prior DHHS investigation in October after the child's daycare reported injuries, yet Witham-Jordan was still living with the family months later when the child was killed. Document 3 (Press Herald) provides systemic context, noting "Maine reported that more children died in 2021 from abuse, neglect or in households that had prior involvement with the child protective system than in any year on record."
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