Dad pleads not guilty in infant death case

Emotions ran high Thursday during a Columbus Recorder's Court hearing involving the death of a 5-month-old girl who police said suffocated after she was put to sleep.

Troy Mackenzie Barfield, 19, pleaded not guilty to first-degree cruelty to children and involuntary manslaughter. The charges were filed after authorities said they determined the father's "careless actions" contributed to the infant's death.

Judge Michael Cilenski ordered Barfield held in the Muscogee County Jail under bonds totaling $15,000 and bound the case over to Superior Court.

Columbus police said they were called Sunday to the residence in the 5400 block of Shana Court and found Summer Barfield lying face up in a recliner. Deputy Coroner Charles Newton pronounced her dead on the scene.

Detectives said Barfield told police that he wrapped the infant in a comforter with only her head exposed, laid her in the chair on her side and placed a pillow behind her back before he went to sleep in the bed next to her.

He said that it was a part of their normal routine, but on that night Summer rolled onto her face and suffocated herself. The next day her grandfather found her dead, police said.

Detective Darrell Middlebrooks said autopsy results were consistent with Barfield's statement. Middlebrooks said the father's actions contributed to Summer's death because the recliner was not a suitable place for any infant to sleep.

Troy said Natasha Simpkins, the infant's mother, lived in Florida with her boyfriend and he hadn't seen her for quite some time.

He told police he went to Florida after the incident so he could pick up Simpkins and bring her to Columbus.

Troy wasn't in the home when police arrived on the scene, so he was taken into custody at the Public Safety Center Wednesday night, authorities said.

Simpkins cried as she told the court that her daughter's death was an accident.

She said Barfield was trying to do what he thought was best for Summer, so she would be safe during the night.

"He was nothing but good to her," Simpkins testified. "He went out of his way to make sure that she was OK, that she was fed and that she was taken care of."

Barfield's mother, Shanda Amos, told the court that Summer would feel safe and calm when her father swaddled her.

"As far as them not having a crib available, they did not have time to obtain one," Amos said.

The father, who was represented by public defender Charles Lyins, didn't testify in court.

This story was originally published August 20, 2015 at 10:51 PM with the headline "Dad pleads not guilty in infant death case ."