Two older siblings are now in agency care as police investigate the baby’s death.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Franklin County Children Services has taken two children into care after their 7-week-old brother died in what Columbus police are investigating as a domestic-related homicide.
The agency said it is working with investigators after Diamond Phillips was found unresponsive late July 1 at an apartment complex on Divot Place. Police said the infant suffered blunt-force trauma and was later pronounced dead at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
Michael Watkins, 40, the boyfriend of the baby’s mother, has been arrested and charged with murder. Court records said the mother told investigators Watkins was supposed to be watching Diamond. Medical scans found a brain bleed and numerous broken bones, with doctors describing the injuries as consistent with abuse.
Scott Varner, a spokesperson for Franklin County Children Services, called the case a tragic reminder that domestic violence continues to affect the community and that children can be caught in the middle. The agency said Diamond’s two older siblings are in its care as officials work to better understand what happened.
Columbus police Sgt. James Fuqua said relatives gave investigators important information after the emergency call. He said that information helped police assess whether the baby’s death was part of a possible pattern of abuse over time.
The first call came at 11:41 p.m. July 1, when officers were sent to the 2600 block of Divot Place for a report of a child who was not breathing. Mifflin Township Fire medics took Diamond to the hospital. Police later classified the death as a homicide after reviewing evidence.
Neighbors at Ambience Villas said the death left the complex shaken. Vince Paris, who lives nearby, said he thought of his own new grandson when he heard what happened. “I’d be crushed,” Paris said.
The child welfare agency’s role now runs alongside the criminal case. Police have not released all evidence in the investigation, and court proceedings will determine how the murder charge against Watkins moves forward.
Author note: Last updated July 5, 2026.