An Adams County man has been ordered to spend 17 to 22.5 years in prison for the death of his girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter, capping off a grim case that has unfolded over the last year. Brian Moser, 23, was sentenced Wednesday, March 25, 2026, in Adams County Common Pleas Court after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter and child endangering. An autopsy previously found the toddler died of suffocation.
According to WKRC, Moser entered the guilty pleas as part of a deal that led prosecutors to drop a murder charge and additional child endangering counts. WKRC reports that Moser, who legally changed his name from Terry Smith III one day before the incident, called 911 from the Timber Ridge apartment complex on the morning of July 2, 2025. The judge imposed the 17 to 22.5 year term after accepting the plea agreement.
Investigators transported the child to the Montgomery County coroner for an autopsy, which determined suffocation as the cause of death, and the toddler's siblings were found with injuries consistent with abuse, according to WLWT. WLWT also reports that both Moser and the children's mother, 25-year-old Tien Hawkins, were initially arrested on child endangerment charges before prosecutors filed more serious counts. Adams County Children's Services placed the surviving children in protective custody while the investigation moved forward.
Plea deal and the mother's case
Prosecutors say Moser's plea deal saves the county the time and uncertainty of a murder trial while still securing a lengthy prison term. Hawkins, the child's mother, continues to face murder and other felony charges and has indicated she plans to plead guilty in May, with sentencing scheduled for June, according to WKRC. Adams County Prosecutor Aaron Haslam has told reporters he believes Hawkins knew about the abuse and allowed it to continue, FOX19 reported.
What's next
Hawkins' case remains active on the Adams County Common Pleas Court docket, with hearings and any eventual sentencing to be held at the courthouse at 110 West Main Street in West Union, according to the Adams County Common Pleas Court. Prosecutors say they will continue working with child welfare officials and building the record as both the criminal case and the protective proceedings move ahead.
In the days after the toddler's death in early July 2025, neighbors and friends organized a candlelight vigil, and a local funeral home began collecting donations to cover funeral costs, FOX19 reported. The community response has highlighted ongoing questions about oversight and how earlier signs of trouble in the home were handled.
Legal context
Moser's plea to involuntary manslaughter means he acknowledged causing the child's death without admitting to first-degree murder. As described in the case, that kind of plea lets prosecutors secure a conviction and a substantial sentence while sidestepping the risk that a jury could acquit on a more serious charge. Hawkins' unresolved murder and child endangering counts, if proven, could result in significantly longer prison terms and are expected to be addressed through her anticipated plea and the sentencing process in the coming months.
