'This baby deserved better,' Summit judge tells Akron couple convicted in daughter's death

A Summit County judge asked an Akron couple who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in their infant daughter’s death which one of them was responsible for the older injuries found when she was taken to the hospital in August 2022.

Judge Alison McCarty held up a diagram that outlined Layla’s injuries, including several fractured ribs and broken femur and tibia bones on both sides — injuries that she said were consistent with the 7-week-old baby being shaken.

“I want to know who did that,” McCarty told Greg Chambers and Jillian Ibel.

Both Chambers and Ibel claimed they didn’t know how their daughter sustained these injuries that dated back days or weeks before her death.

“I don’t know what happened,” McCarty said during the couple’s sentencing in Summit County Common Pleas Court. “All I know is: This baby deserved better than the two of you.”

McCarty’s questioning of the couple was among the highlights of the couple’s emotional sentencing, which included comments from Ibel, Chambers and family members of both.

“I miss my granddaughter,” Tina Ibel, Jillian’s mother said via Zoom. “She didn’t deserve what she got. Jilly and Greg are equally guilty — whoever did it, and the other one did nothing.”

Ibel, 21, pleaded guilty in August to involuntary manslaughter, a third-degree felony, and endangering children, a third-degree felony. Chambers, 23, pleaded guilty to a first-degree involuntary manslaughter charge, as well as an endangering charge.

McCarty sentenced Ibel to five years in prison, the penalty agreed upon by the attorneys. She sentenced Chambers to seven to 10½ years in prison.

Prosecutor details baby’s short and troubled life

Assistant Summit County Prosecutor Jon Baumoel provided details of Layla’s life during the sentencing.

She was born on July 12, 2022. A week later, she was taken to the hospital with a bruised eyelid and a large vein in her cheek.

Baumoel said Chambers claimed he dropped a bottle on her cheek while feeding her.

On the morning of Aug. 26, 2022, Baumoel said, Chambers called 911. He told police he fell asleep on the couch with Layla and — when he woke up — realized she wasn’t breathing. He attempted to perform CPR.

Baumoel said Layla had suffocated and had rib and neck fractures that were recent, in addition to the broken bones that happened between the time when she was brought to the hospital with bruising to her face and when she was found unresponsive.

“We know this child was tortured and abused in just seven weeks of life,” he said.

Baumoel said the medical examiner was unable to say whether the suffocation was accidental or purposeful.

Baumoel said Chambers was taking care of Layla both times she was taken to the hospital. He said neither Chambers nor Ibel was equipped to take care of a child and didn’t reach out to their mothers, both of whom had offered to help.

Family members of Chambers and Ibel share disbelief and sorrow

Several of Chambers’ family members who spoke at his sentencing said he isn’t a violent person and they couldn’t believe he would harm his daughter.

“He would run around, making sure she was swaddled,” said Takia Smith, one of Chambers’ sisters. “He would not let the dog near her. He would stay up all night with no sleep.”

Chambers cried after hearing her remarks.

Tia McGowan, Chamber’s mother, said Chambers took care of Layla more than Ibel, which she thought was strange. She said she asked Chambers about it and he told her Ibel was tired.

“I never seen Greg do anything wrong to that baby but love her,” McGowan said.

McGowan said she doesn’t think it’s fair for Ibel to get a lighter sentence than her son.

“They’re both wrong and both should be judged fairly,” she said.

Tina Ibel asked McCarty to give a sentence “fit for the crime.”

“It just breaks my heart that Layla was suffering so unnecessarily,” she said.

Chambers and Ibel express their regret

Job Esau Perry, Chambers’ attorney, said it is inconclusive how Layla died and whether it was an accident.

When Chambers realized Layla wasn’t breathing, Perry said Chambers immediately called 911 and did what he could to try to save her. He said Chambers told him he would willingly trade places with his daughter if he could.

“That shows he has a conscience — has a heart,” Perry said.

Chambers said he was taking care of Layla all day and, when Ibel got home from work about midnight, went to sleep for a few hours. He said he awoke to the sound of Layla crying and Ibel sounding irritated. He told Ibel to go to bed and said he’d take care of Layla.

Chambers said he fell asleep with Layla on the couch with him for about 45 minutes and, when he woke up, found that she wasn’t breathing.

“I never once intended to harm her in any way shape or form,” he said.

Chambers said he could have broken Layla’s ribs while trying to give her CPR.

Wes Buchanan, Ibel’s attorney, asked McCarty to follow the agreed-upon sentence for his client.

Ibel, who was so emotional that she had trouble speaking, said she takes responsibility for “not being the mother I should have.” She said she wishes she could go back in time and change her schedule so she could spend more time with Layla.

“She didn’t deserve any of that,” Ibel said. “It's not fair for her to have to suffer through that pain.”

With the injuries she had suffered, McCarty said, Layla was likely in agony for most of her life. She said this likely led to her crying often.

McCarty said Chambers should have known it was dangerous to allow a 7-week-old baby to sleep on the couch with him.

“That was so preventable,” the judge said.

Ibel will be eligible for an early release after serving four years in prison and Chambers will be eligible after five 5 years.

McCarty said she or the new judge handling their case at that time will want to know what happened to Layla.

“Sometimes, honesty is better than uncertainty and not knowing,” she said.

Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com, 330-996-3705 and on Twitter: @swarsmithabj.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron couple gets prison time for infant daughter's death