Dad Charged in Death of 2-Month-Old Daughter

A 28-year-old Upper Moreland man admitted to police that he should not have been taking care of his 2-month-old daughter Saturday because he had “drank too much” that night, according to the arrest affidavit.

Edward Doyle, 28, has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child in the death of his daughter, Makayla, who was pronounced dead Sunday morning at Abington Memorial Hospital. She had swelling on her forehead and bruising and cuts on the bridge of her nose, according to police.

According to the report, Doyle and his wife, Nicole Lavelle, 30, were at a friend’s apartment after a card game with friends. The couple were arguing over taxes and finances when Doyle decided to return to their apartment at 3 a.m. Doyle told police he removed his daughter from the baby swing after she began to cry.

He then walked with her in his arms through the kitchen and tripped on the leg of the baby swing and fell on top of Makayla’s body, the affidavit said. Doyle checked on her Sunday morning at about 7:15 a.m. and called police because she was unresponsive, according to the affidavit.

When police first interviewed Doyle, he told them he had gone to the American Legion in Willow Grove for a friend’s birthday party Saturday night. He said he had six pints of Budweiser at the bar, the affidavit said. Then, he said, he and friends returned to his apartment, in the 2500 block of Horsham Road, to play cards, according to the affidavit.

While his wife was getting a DVD from a neighbor after 3 a.m., Doyle fell asleep. When Doyle awoke later Sunday morning, he told police, Makayla was in the swing “white as a ghost” and “limp.” That's when he called 911.

It wasn’t until after further questioning that Doyle admitted he didn’t tell the police the complete truth, according to the affidavit. He then told them about the argument he and his wife had, and how he fell on top of the baby after picking her up, the affidavit said.

Lavelle claims that after the argument, she stayed in her neighbor's apartment another hour, and when she returned to her apartment, Doyle was a sleep and the baby was in the swing, according to the affidavit.

Based on the interviews with Doyle, Lavelle and the neighbor, Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman decided to move forward with the charges of child endangrment against Doyle.

Doyle is being held in Montgomery County prison in lieu of $1 million bail. The preliminary hearing on the endangering of welfare of a child charge is currently scheduled for March 5 at 10 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Paul Leo.