Adams County Man Gets 17 to 22.5 Years in Toddler Suffocation Death

Judge Brett Spencer sentenced Brian Moser to 17 to 22.5 years in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, exceeding the 15 to 20-year term the parties had stipulated to in the plea agreement.

Moser, an Adams County man, was sentenced in connection with the death of his girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter and child endangering charges. In exchange for the plea, murder and additional child endangering charges were dropped.

Moser was arrested July 1, 2025, after emergency crews responded to a 911 call about an unresponsive 2-year-old at the Timber Ridge Apartment Complex, according to the Adams County Sheriff's Office. The toddler's biological father identified her as Lilith Burkhardt. A preliminary autopsy found that Lilith Burkhardt died of suffocation.

Moser, who had changed his name from Terry Smith III the day before the incident, called 911 that morning from the Timber Ridge Apartment Complex. When deputies arrived at the apartment where Moser lived with his girlfriend, 25-year-old Tien Hawkins, and her three daughters, they found the toddler unresponsive. Deputies say the girl and her two sisters, ages one and five, all had injuries on their bodies consistent with abuse.

Moser's child endangering charges also relate to injuries sustained by Hawkins' two other children, who are now in child protective services.

Adams County Prosecutor Aaron Haslam said at the time of Moser's arrest that "both Moser and the mother had a duty of care to these children," adding that Moser "violated that duty of care" and that his "failure to care for this child, and ultimately caused these very serious physical injuries, death," was what led to the manslaughter charge.

Lilith's mother, Tien Hawkins, faces murder and other charges. Hawkins has indicated she plans to plead guilty in May, with a June sentencing date set. A grand jury indicted Hawkins on one count of murder, one count of involuntary manslaughter, three counts of permitting child abuse, and two counts of endangering children.