Pammy Maye pleads not guilty to killing 5-year-old

Her lawyer says case hinges on mental health

The attorney for a Columbus woman accused of suffocating a 5-year-old boy in her legal care and dumping his body in a street sewer drain, prompting a statewide Amber Alert, said the case will hinge entirely on mental health.

Pammy Maye, 48, of the city’s South Side, appeared via closed circuit television Friday for an arraignment in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. Local defense attorney Sam Shamansky, who is representing Maye, entered not guilty pleas on her behalf to charges of aggravated murder, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence.

Shamansky asked Magistrate Mark Petrucci to consider transferring Maye, who is currently being held in the Franklin County jail, to a more secure psychiatric facility.

“This is a mental health case through and through,” Shamansky said.

Shamansky also said he anticipated a potential not guilty by reason of insanity plea being entered in the case.

Maye is accused of suffocating 5year-old Darnell Taylor, who was in the legal custody of Maye and her husband, on Feb. 13. Maye then dumped Darnell’s body in a street sewer drain on the 1000 block of Marsdale Avenue before driving to the Cleveland area.

Around 3 a.m. Feb. 14, Maye’s husband called 911 to tell police about statements Maye had made suggesting that Darnell was no longer alive, Columbus police said. A statewide Amber Alert was issued shortly after 5 a.m. for both

Maye and Darnell. About an hour after the alert was issued, Maye’s Jeep was found in the Cleveland suburb of Brooklyn, however, the vehicle was empty.

The next night, Brooklyn police arrested Maye, who according to court records then told police where they could find Darnell’s body.

Court records have not provided any information about Maye’s potential motive, and no additional details were provided in open court during Friday’s hearing.

Prosecutors previously said Maye had been diagnosed with several mental health conditions. Friday, Shamansky did not indicate whether those would play a role in Maye’s defense.

If convicted, Maye faces a potential maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. bbruner@dispatch.com @bethany_bruner

Pammy Maye was arraigned Friday in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas by video call from the Franklin County Corrections Center on Jackson Pike. Maye is accused of killing 5-year-old Darnell Taylor, whom she had legal custody of with her husband, and leaving him in a street sewer drain. Maye is charged with aggravated murder, abuse of a corpse and three counts of tampering with evidence.