RIPLEY, W.Va. — The Jackson County grand jury is the next stop for sexual assault and murder charges against a Fairplain man in jail in connection with the death of a 10-month-old girl.
Following a preliminary hearing Wednesday in Ripley, a magistrate ruled there was enough evidence to forward the charges against Benjamin Taylor, 32.
Taylor allegedly strangled and sexually assaulted Emmaleigh Barringer on the morning of Oct. 3 in the basement of the Fairplain apartment where he lived with the girl’s mother, Amanda Adkins. The girl died after being taken off life support two days later.
Adkins testified Wednesday she had smoked marijuana and drank alcohol with Taylor the previous night. She said she woke up early Monday morning and eventually went to the basement where she found her daughter covered in blood. She attempted CPR.
A Jackson County deputy testified Taylor didn’t appear intoxicated when he arrived and he noticed blood on his stomach.
The baby died of a skull fracture, according to a report from the state Medical Examiner’s Office. The medical examiner testified there was evidence of sexual assault.
Taylor remains in jail without bail on the murder charge.
There was heavy police presence at the Jackson County Courthouse Wednesday both inside and outside the building. Taylor wore a bulletproof vest during the hearing.