Fayette County couple charged in child’s death

FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — A Fayette County man and woman were charged Friday in connection with the June death of their 21-month-old child.

Tyler Randall

According to Fayette County Sheriff Mike Fridley, Hilltop residents, Tyler Glen Randall, 27, and Shelva Marie Smith, 23, are named in felony counts of death of a child by a parent and child neglect resulting in injury.

Hospital officials notified deputies on June 20 that the young child had suffered cardiac and respiratory failure. Four days later the child died. Fridley said it was first believed the child died of ‘Shaken Baby Syndrome’ but it was later determined the cause of death was non-accidental head trauma.

Smith was arrested Thursday night in Mount Hope. Randall was already in jail on a separate charge. A magistrate arraigned the pair but no bail was set. They are in the regional jail.

Shelva Smith

Deputies believe the child suffered the fatal injuries at their home in the Mountain Air Mobile Home Park in Hilltop.

If you have any information regarding this incident, contact the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department at 304-574-3590, or through our Facebook page “Fayette County Sheriff’s Department,” or you can contact Crime Stoppers of West Virginia at 304-255-STOP. This incident remains under investigation by the Detective Bureau of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department.





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