MSP Investigating Baby Death in Orrington

On the morning of Friday, January 16, 2026, the Penobscot Regional Communication Center received a 911 call reporting that a 12-week-old infant had become unresponsive. Members of the Orrington Fire and Rescue, the Brewer Fire Department, and the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the residence to provide aid to the infant. The infant, identified as Lyla Samuels, was transported to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. Due to the facts and circumstances of the case the Maine State Police Major Crimes Unit-North was called in to investigate.

As a result of the investigation Major Crimes Unit-North Detectives arrested the infant’s father 24-year-old Shawn Samuels of Orrington for Domestic Violence Elevated Aggravated Assault (Class A) and two counts of Violation of Bail (Class E) on Saturday, January 17, 2026. 

On Sunday, January 18, 2026, Detectives learned that the 12-week-old infant had died. An autopsy was performed at the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta the following day. The cause of death is tentative pending final testing. The manner of death was ruled homicide. After the autopsy, Major Crimes Unit-North Detectives arrested Samuels for Murder at the Penobscot County Jail, where he remains in custody. Shawn Samuel’s initial appearance will occur at the Penobscot County Judicial Center in Bangor via Zoom on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at 11:45 AM.

This is an isolated incident with no ongoing public safety concerns. More information will be released as it becomes available.

Anyone with relevant information related to this case should please call 207.973.3700 EXT. 9 and ask to speak with Det. Dana Austin.

Information related to this case may also be submitted to the Major Crimes Unit – North via an on-line tip portal. https://www.maine.gov/dps/msp/about/report-crime/major-crimes-unit-north

If you or someone you know is a victim of a crime related to domestic abuse in the State of Maine, please call the Statewide Domestic Violence Helpline at 1-866-834-HELP.