On October 28, 2025, Presiding Judge Sheryl Bachart sentenced Emerson Cromwell (27-year-old) to life in prison for causing the death of his 15-month-old daughter. On September 26, 2025, Cromwell was convicted by a Lincoln County jury of Murder in the Second Degree, Assault in the First Degree, Assault in the Second Degree, and Manslaughter in the First Degree, after nearly a month-long trial.
On August 9, 2022, law enforcement and medical personnel responded to Cromwell’s residence in Lincoln City after Cromwell called 911 to report that his 15-month-old daughter was unconscious and non-responsive. The child was immediately transported by medics to the Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital Emergency Room, where it was determined that the child was suffering from a brain bleed. The child was life-flighted to OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland and died the following morning. The Oregon State Police Medical Examiner opined the manner of death to be homicide due to an acute subdural hemorrhage and blunt force injuries to the head.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Cromwell was the only person alone with his daughter prior to her becoming non-responsive. Cromwell told investigators that the child was fine before crawling towards him and collapsing in his arms. Cromwell stated he picked her up and shook her one time to revive her before calling 911. Messaging data from earlier in the day showed that Cromwell had become frustrated with feeding his daughter and had also received some bad news regarding a clothing business venture. A short time after these messages, Cromwell texted the child’s mother that something was wrong with the child and then called 911.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Cromwell began spanking his daughter when she was merely 5 months old and would often take the child into her room and beat her causing bruises that lasted days. The State presented several medical experts at trial that all concluded that the only explanation for the child’s severe brain damage was child abuse trauma.
At sentencing, Judge Bachart imposed the presumptive sentence prescribed by the legislature of life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. Judge Bachart noted the testimony showed that child was often left home alone and the Cromwell was ill-equipped to be a father. Judge Bachart stated “it was a violent, horrible death that she did not have to suffer, and it was at the hands of her father”.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Tobias Tingleaf of the Department of Justice and Chief Deputy District Attorney Michael Thornicroft and investigated by the Lincoln County Major Crime Team consisting of the Lincoln City Police Department, Newport Police Department, Toledo Police Department, Oregon State Police, and the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.