ELYRIA — A Cleveland man facing murder and other charges in the September death of a 2-year-old Lorain boy he was babysitting pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Thursday in county Common Pleas Court.

Damien Hiley, 22, could get life in prison if convicted in the death of Nicolas Shaw.

In addition to murder charges, he faces charges of felonious assault and child endangering.

Hiley was babysitting Nicolas the morning of Sept. 10 while his girlfriend, Candice Shaw, was at work.

Hiley reportedly told police that Nicolas fell out of the bathtub and bumped his head on the tub.

In an earlier incident, Hiley told police, Nicolas was playing when he fell and bumped his head.

But Cuyahoga County Coroner Frank Miller has said the injuries were much more severe than a couple of individual bruises.

Miller ruled Nicolas’ death a homicide caused by multiple blunt force trauma to his head and chest.

Hiley and Shaw, the boy’s mother, took Nicolas to St. John West Shore Hospital in Westlake.

Nicolas was later taken to Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, where he died.

Hiley has been free on bond since September.

Contact Brad Dicken at 329-7147 or bdicken@chroniclet.com.

 

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