A 24-year-old Painesville man has reversed course in the high-profile Lake County case involving infant Makenna Rae, entering a guilty plea to child endangerment charges tied to a string of brutal injuries. On Friday, Cameron Dryer admitted to five counts of endangering children connected to harm that left six-month-old Makenna with broken bones, bruises and a brain bleed after she was taken to UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital in May 2024. A judge has scheduled Dryer's sentencing for June 29, 2026 at 10 a.m.
Case update
According to News 5 Cleveland, Dryer, who was with Makenna's mother, Megan Bayko, at the time of the injuries, initially pleaded not guilty before changing his plea Friday in the Lake County Court of Common Pleas. Prosecutors charged Dryer with five counts of endangering children, and the outlet reports he could face up to 15 years in prison and a $50,000 fine based on per-count maximums. Sentencing is set for June 29 at 10 a.m., the article says.
Mother convicted and sentenced
Dryer's plea follows the conviction and sentencing of Makenna's mother, Megan Bayko, who was ordered to serve 15 years in prison. As reported by Court TV, Judge Patrick J. Condon imposed five consecutive 36-month terms for the five counts. "We're happy that she got all 15 years," Makenna's grandmother, Jennifer Kvoriak, told the outlet.
Injuries and care
According to News 5 Cleveland, Makenna was six months old when she was rushed to UH Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, weighing just 12 pounds on arrival. Medical testimony described multiple fractures, vomiting and a brain bleed, and family attorneys said Makenna required intubation along with months of therapy and in-home nursing care. Supporters and relatives have said the child continues to need significant ongoing treatment.
Legal exposure
Under Ohio law, a third-degree felony carries definite prison terms that can include up to 36 months per count and fines of up to $10,000, which helps explain the 15-year and $50,000 ceiling prosecutors cite for five consecutive convictions. See the Ohio Revised Code for sentencing ranges and the Ohio Revised Code for the fine schedule referenced in this case.
Dryer's change of plea marks a new phase in a criminal saga that has drawn sustained attention from prosecutors and Makenna's extended family. With sentencing set for June 29, the court will decide whether Dryer's terms run consecutively, and the Kvoriak family has said long-term care for Makenna will continue regardless of the criminal outcome.
