CLEVELAND — 20-year-old Traveon Hughes has been sentenced to serve 15 years to life in prison on charges connected to the death of his 13-week-old son in which the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office says happened after he shoved a baby wipe down the child’s throat.
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge William T. McGinty announced the punishment during sentencing late Friday morning. It came after a jury found Hughes guilty of the following charges earlier this week:
- One count of murder
- One count of involuntary manslaughter
- Two counts of child endangering
Hughes did not speak when given the opportunity at his sentencing.
“He’s not going to make a statement today," his defense said on his behalf. "He is going to exercise his Constitutional right, and lawful right, to an appeal. But he still maintains his innocence that he did not recklessly or purposely shove a baby wipe into his baby’s mouth. He says he didn’t do it and he stands by that. We value the jury’s verdict, but we just disagree with it.”
The judge also gave Hughes credit for time served in the form of 423 days.
DETAILS OF THE CASE
The case dates back nearly two years to June 25, 2022, when prosecutors say Hughes was watching his baby boy -- identified as Traveon Hughes Jr. -- alone in their residence near West 81st Street and Madison Avenue in Cleveland.
“Hughes stated he placed a baby wipe on the 13-week-old’s chest in place of a bib,” according to the prosecutor’s office. “He then went into another room leaving the baby unattended for a short period of time. Upon returning to the 13-week-old, he noticed the baby was choking and called the police.”
When Cleveland EMS responded to the scene, the prosecutor’s office says they were notified the baby had an obstruction in his throat.
“While attempting to perform life-saving measures, they located the baby wipe in his throat,” according to the prosecutor’s office. “He was transported to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.”
Hughes was then arrested on June 29.
“After further investigation by the CDP and the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office, it was determined the baby was too young to have placed the wipe down his own throat and it had to be intentionally placed there,” according to the prosecutor’s office. “The matter was ruled a homicide by asphyxiation.”