Judge Sets $2 Million Bond for Babysitter Indicted in 2019 Infant Death

Alicia McLaughlin, a 38-year-old Hilliard resident, appeared before a Franklin County Common Pleas judge on Monday facing charges of murder and child endangerment in connection with the 2019 death of 9-month-old Ridley Cecil-Wienke, an infant she was babysitting. The case dates back to April 2, 2019, when Columbus police responded to Nationwide Children’s Hospital after reports that Ridley had sustained a catastrophic injury. The infant was pronounced dead at the hospital.

McLaughlin had initially claimed that Ridley fell from a high chair, but investigators found that her account did not align with Ridley’s severe injuries. The autopsy revealed extensive brain swelling, bleeding in the eyes, and bruises across the infant’s head, with blunt force trauma listed as the cause of death. After a recent review, the Franklin County coroner reclassified the death as a homicide on October 7, 2025, which led to a grand jury indictment against McLaughlin.

During the court hearing, Ridley’s mother, Lauren Gorman, expressed profound grief, stating that the death shattered their world and lamented that her son will never experience life’s milestones. The judge set McLaughlin’s bond at $2 million, reflecting the gravity of the charges. The family hopes McLaughlin will reflect on the pain she caused over the past six years since the tragic loss of their child. No court date has been set yet for the trial.