Ohio appeals court upholds conviction of dad who killed newborn by shoving baby wipe in his throat

CLEVELAND (TCN) -- An Ohio appeals court ruled last week that the conviction of a father who killed his 13-week-old son with a baby wipe in 2022 should not be overturned.

The Eighth Appellate District Court released the opinion May 15 regarding Traveon Hughes' conviction for murder, second-degree endangering children, involuntary manslaughter, and third-degree endangering children. A jury found him guilty in May 2024, and he was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years. He appealed, claiming there was insufficient evidence, among other reasons.

On June 25, 2022, paramedics from the Cleveland Division of Emergency Medical Services responded to a home on West 81st Street after getting a call about an unresponsive baby. The medics said the child was "gasping and had no pulse," and was likely experiencing cardiac arrest.

Paramedics attempted to insert an "i-gel" to help open an airway, but it hit a "balled-up something" that blocked the way. They managed to remove the item and immediately transported the child to the hospital. Once at the hospital, emergency room physicians performed CPR and tried to intubate the child, but he did not breathe. The attending physician declared the child, Traveon Hughes Jr., deceased at 8:30 a.m.

The paramedics reportedly showed the doctor the obstruction, which the doctor described as a "bloody wipe."

Court documents say Hughes Jr. was 13 weeks old, but he was premature and born at only 26 weeks. Hughes reportedly said he put a baby wipe in the room with his son, then left for about 10 to 20 minutes. When he came back into the room, the baby "had the baby wipe in his mouth."

The attending physician contacted the Cleveland Division of Police after Hughes Jr. died because she was "concerned that there were some inconsistencies in the history that was provided" and that the "description of injuries may not be within the developmental ability of the patient."

At Hughes’ trial, the forensic pathologist testified that Hughes Jr., who was the size of a newborn at 13 weeks old, died from asphyxiation. The pathologist said, "A 13-week-old doesn’t have the dexterity and ability" to put a baby wipe in the back of his throat. He ruled the death a homicide.

Hughes was arrested June 29, 2022.

Hughes Jr.’s mother said Hughes "routinely placed wipes under the baby’s chin to use as a bib." She also said their son was "very advanced for his age" and had a tendency to put things in his mouth.

Hughes said at his trial that on the day of the incident, he was feeding his son from a bottle, but then he started spitting up. He grabbed a wipe and put it under his son’s chin, then called the boy’s mother as he went to throw a diaper out. He returned and "saw the baby in distress." He claimed he tried to remove the wipe, but couldn’t.

In his appeal, Hughes argued the emergency room physician testified as an expert, but her testimony should not count because prosecutors never provided him with an expert report. He believes that if the doctor’s testimony had not been a part of the trial, there wouldn’t be enough evidence to convict him.

The appeals court judges said in the opinion that there was video evidence and other testimony that provided "sufficient evidence that Hughes pushed the wipe down the baby’s throat."