Sharon Sakoulos, 41, faces murder charges in Columbus, Ohio, for allegedly suffocating her 3-year-old daughter Cassidy with a plastic bag on New Year’s Eve 2025. Police reports confirm she admitted to the intentional act, and the child showed visible bruises upon discovery. No significant updates appear beyond her January 2, 2026, arraignment as of early January 2026.​
Incident Details
Columbus police responded to a 5:35 p.m. call on Orson Drive about a child not breathing, finding Cassidy unresponsive. She was pronounced dead at Nationwide Children’s Hospital around 6 p.m. after transport. The death was ruled a homicide by suffocation, motivated by domestic violence.​
Court Proceedings
During her Friday arraignment, prosecutors detailed Sakoulos’ confession and set a $2 million bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 9, 2026. She remains at James A. Karnes Correctional Center.​
Background History
Prosecutors cited Sakoulos’ bipolar disorder, prior mental health hospitalizations, and erratic behavior. She pleaded guilty in 2023 to assaulting an officer with AJAX cleaner in 2020 and was deemed incompetent to stand trial in 2022. Her public defender noted her honorable military discharge; a 2016 assault accusation lacks specified outcome.​
Neighbor Accounts
Residents described Cassidy as “full of life” and Sakoulos as having “weird energy,” often neglecting the child and asking others to watch her. Witnesses saw Sakoulos calmly smoking outside as first responders worked, appearing “reactionless.”​
