Judge sentences man who beat girlfriend’s infant daughter to death in Biloxi hotel
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Biloxi judge sentenced Christian Cookmeyer to 50 years for infant murder.
- Cookmeyer pleaded guilty to murder, child endangerment and drug possession.
- Investigation found skull fractures, brain bleeds; victim died after transfer.
A Louisiana man is headed to prison for 50 years for the beating death of his then-girlfriend’s 4-month-old daughter.
Harrison County Circuit Judge Christopher Schmidt imposed the sentence after Christian Angel Cookmeyer, 29, of Belle Chasse, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder, one count of felony child endangerment and one count of possession of a controlled substance. He entered the plea Dec. 18 in Harrison County Circuit Court.
An investigation began on Dec. 10, 2022, after Biloxi police responded to a report of an unresponsive infant at the Star Inn on U.S. 90 in Biloxi.
The child, identified as Maddison Jaide, had been left in Cookmeyer’s care while her mother went to work. When the mother returned later that day, she found the baby limp and not breathing and called 911, according to District Attorney Crosby Parker.
Police determined that Cookmeyer’s 4-year-old daughter was also staying in the hotel room with the child’s mother and the infant. During a search of the room, officers found marijuana, THC edibles and THC syrup, leading to additional drug and felony child endangerment charges.
Maddison was taken to Merit Health Biloxi, where doctors found multiple skull fractures and brain bleeds. She was later transported to Children’s Hospital in New Orleans, where she died.
Investigators said Cookmeyer initially suggested a housekeeper may have entered the room and injured the child while he was in the bathroom. He later claimed the infant had fallen off the bed. After learning the child had died, he again stated she had fallen, Parker said.
A doctor who examined the child rejected Cookmeyer’s explanations.
During the plea hearing, the child’s mother and aunt addressed the court on Maddison’s behalf.
Judge Schmidt sentenced Cookmeyer to 30 years in prison for second-degree murder, followed by 10 years each for felony child endangerment and the drug charge, for a total of 50 years.
“I commend the Biloxi Police Department and the Medical Examiner’s Office for their thorough and diligent investigation to ensure accountability,” Parker said. “Tragically, only one person knows what occurred inside that hotel room, and nothing he says can ever bring four-month-old Maddison Jaide back or erase the lasting pain caused by his actions. The family has shown remarkable strength throughout this process, and we hope the sentence imposed by the court provides some measure of justice and support them in their healing.”
Assistant District Attorney Mara Joffe prosecuted the case.
