Man charged with killing 4-year-old girl says she hit her head in Raleigh motel bathroom

A man charged with killing a 4-year-old who died after being injured at a Raleigh motel Sunday told a 911 dispatcher the girl hit her head in the bathroom.

Police arrested Milton Ray Horton Jr., 27, on Sunday and charged him with murder in the death of the child, whose name has not been released.

On Monday, Horton made his first court appearance on the charge and asked for a court-appointed lawyer.

An assistant district attorney told the judge that Horton told police he hit the child in the abdomen, media outlets reported.

The judge ordered that Horton be held in jail without bail and set his next court date for 9 a.m. May 17.

Dispatcher sends ambulance to motel

Horton called 911 around 4:30 a.m. Sunday and said the girl had fallen asleep on the toilet, had two gashes and was bleeding.

Horton was breathing very heavily and talking very fast. He said he put Vaseline and ice on her head, but she started hyperventilating, according to the call. He gave her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for five minutes, he said.

“She’s not responding,” Horton said.

The 911 dispatcher said he was sending an ambulance. Horton said they had already left the motel for the hospital and asked where to go.

“You shouldn’t have left,” the dispatcher said.

“You go back to the hotel, park in the parking lot and turn your hazard lights on,” he said.

Horton returned to the Candlewood Suites on Lead Mine Road and told the dispatcher they were in a silver Toyota Corolla.

“Tell them to hurry, sir,” Horton said. “Please.”

The child was taken to the hospital, where she died later, according to police.

Police Capt. Kevin Lillis told The News & Observer that Horton and the child were not related but knew each other. He said the department had not yet clarified their relationship.

Lillis said Horton and the child had been at the motel for about two weeks.

This story was originally published April 26, 2021 at 1:30 PM.