Man accused of killing toddler in Edgecomb faces second trial

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Tyler Witham-Jordan, 31, is on trial for a second time in the 2022 death of 3-year-old Makinzlee Handrahan. Prosecutors allege Witham-Jordan beat the girl with a hairbrush, dragged her into the bedroom, and left her in the bottom bunk where his 9-year-old daughter was sleeping. Witham-Jordan pleaded not guilty, and his attorneys have pointed to the girl's mother, Faith Lewis, as a possible suspect. The first trial ended in a mistrial after Lewis broke down while testifying.

Why it matters

Makinzlee's death was one of several that led to criticism of the state agency charged with responding to alleged child abuse. Her home had been investigated for abuse and neglect by the state Department of Health and Human Services in the fall of 2022, after daycare workers reported seeing several concerning scratches and bruises on Makinzlee.

The details

Prosecutors allege that Witham-Jordan beat the 3-year-old girl with a hairbrush, dragged her into the bedroom, and left her in the bottom bunk where his 9-year-old daughter was sleeping. Witham-Jordan pleaded not guilty, and his attorneys have pointed to the girl's mother, Faith Lewis, as a possible suspect. Prosecutors have said they consider Lewis to be a victim and that her DNA was not found on crime scene items, including the hairbrush.

• In late 2022, Makinzlee Handrahan was found dead in her bed on Christmas morning.
• Witham-Jordan's first trial in Wiscasset ended in a mistrial in 2024 after Lewis broke down while testifying.
• The second trial began on February 17, 2026 in Sagadahoc County Superior Court.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The trial is scheduled to take more than a week, and the jury will hear from several emergency responders and investigators who were in the apartment on Christmas morning in 2022, as well as testimony from Faith Lewis.