Murder Charges Stand for Upper Moreland Man Accused of Killing Daughter

An Upper Moreland man will stand trial on third-degree murder charges in the February death of his 2-month-old daughter.

Edward J. Doyle, 29, of the 2500 block of Horsham Road, is accused of killing his daughter at his residence. According to a Phillyburbs.com story, District Justice Paul Leo held Doyle on charges of third-degree murder, reckless endangerment and making an unsworn falsification to authorities at his preliminary trial Tuesday.

As previously reported in Patch, Doyle admitted to police that he should not have been taking care of his daughter because he had “drank too much” that night, according to the arrest affidavit.

His daughter, Makayla, was pronounced dead the morning of Feb. 24 at Abington Memorial Hospital. She had swelling on her forehead and bruising and cuts on the bridge of her nose, according to police.

See the initial story on Patch here.

According to the Phillyburbs.com story, Doyle’s statement changed three times over a six-hour period on Feb. 24. In one statement, Doyle said he woke Feb. 24 and found his daughter “limp” and “white as a ghost” and then called 911. In another statement, Doyle said he accidentally hit the back of his daughter’s head while patting her back; and in a third statement, Doyle said he tripped and fell on his daughter.

And, according to the story, prosecutors said the 2-month old girl’s ribs were crushed, she had several skull fractures and the girl’s nose was pinched to prevent breathing. 

Formal arraignment is scheduled for July 17.