A tragic event unfolded in Piqua, Ohio, leading to the death of a one-year-old girl, Vivian Jaymes Gardner, who succumbed to injuries on December 19 at Dayton Children's Hospital. According to the Montgomery County Coroner's Office, the toddler died from severe injuries reportedly inflicted by a 34-year-old man, Michael A. Mayor. As News Center 7 reported, court documents show that the injuries directly resulted from Mayor's actions on December 5. The Mayor was the last person to be with Vivian, babysitting her along with other children.
On the day of the incident, Mayor was left in charge by the babysitter, who left to take other children to school, as described in a report by ABC6. Later in the day, Vivian was found unresponsive and was flown to Dayton Children’s Hospital. Doctors identified a skull fracture, a subdural hematoma, and other complex injuries consistent with "massive impact."
Mayor, subsequently arrested, admitted to detectives during a police interview that he had shaken and slammed the little girl to the floor multiple times because she wouldn’t stop crying. "He stated he ‘shook’ her and when she cried louder he began to ‘slam’ her on the floor of the bedroom," according to a statement obtained by Dayton Daily News. After the violent act, Mayor believed Vivian had fallen asleep.
Court records from December 11 indicate Michael A. Mayor was indicted on charges of felonious assault and three counts of child endangering and is held on a $1 million bond, as reported by ABC6. Following Vivian's death, local authorities have been contacted by various news outlets for information on any additional charges. Still, a response has yet to be disclosed at the time of these reports.
Piqua Police also obtained video footage from a living room camera that showed Mayor carrying the child toward the bedroom, which was out of the camera's view. Vivian is remembered by her family for her "razzle-dazzle," as per her obituary—a reference to her infectious laugh, piercing eyes, bright orange hair, and joyous presence. Her parents and four siblings survive her. Additional charges against Mayor are pending further legal proceedings following the young child's tragic death.
