A man accused of killing a child saw his preliminary hearing delayed due to COVID-19 protocol for a second time since his initial arrest.
Marcel Taylor, 26, was charged last year with one count each of murder and assault of a child causing death after his daughter, Jelani, was found unresponsive by paramedics at a home on the 18000 block of Grace Lane in Canyon Country on Sept. 26.
The baby was transported to the hospital, but ultimately died a few days later at L.A. Children’s Hospital. The cause of death was listed by investigators at the L.A. County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s Office as “blunt force trauma.” Prosecutors alleged that the baby had died from blunt force trauma to the back of her head.
In November, his defense attorney had filed a request for reduced bail, stating that Taylor had no previous criminal record and had been considered a proud father. That motion was later denied.
Deputy District Attorney Jon Hatami stated, in his written response to defense legal counsel, that Taylor had told deputies he had been alone when watching the child, that he had shaken her and he had killed her.
In December, one of Taylor’s hearings was delayed due to a reported outbreak of COVID-19 in his pretrial holding module.
Taylor’s preliminary hearing was rescheduled for June 15. During a preliminary hearing, the prosecution’s witnesses are brought forward and a judge determines if there is enough evidence to bring the case to trial.
