Welcome to The True Crime Pod, where we explore the darkest corners of human behavior to seek understanding and justice. Today's episode contains sensitive content involving infant death and abuse. Listener discretion is strongly advised.

A young family living in a budget motel. A mother working hard to make ends meet. A father, barely out of his teens himself. And a precious six-week-old baby boy whose life was cut tragically short. This is the heartbreaking story of baby Paxton Schuler.

In Gladstone, Oregon, the spring of two thousand and twenty-five should have been a time of new beginnings. The Budget Inn motel housed many temporary residents, including a nineteen-year-old father, his partner, and their newborn son. Like many young parents, they were trying to build a life together, navigating the challenges of early parenthood while struggling financially.

On April sixteenth, while Paxton's mother was at work, something went terribly wrong. The events of that day would forever change multiple lives and reveal a darkness that no one saw coming.

Four days later, on April twentieth, the emergency department at Randall Children's Hospital admitted a critically injured infant. Baby Paxton arrived with severe brain trauma that would soon prove fatal. The medical staff, recognizing signs of non-accidental injury, immediately contacted the Gladstone Police Department.

The investigation quickly focused on Maliki Skutley, Paxton's teenage father. What investigators discovered was deeply disturbing. The autopsy would later reveal that Paxton's death was caused by lack of oxygen to the brain, resulting from either blunt force trauma or extreme pressure. Police described Skutley's actions as 'deliberately cruel.'

Three days after being admitted to the hospital, little Paxton was declared brain dead. His mother faced an unimaginable decision that no parent should ever have to make - she chose to let her baby go.

Initially charged with first-degree assault, Skutley's charges were upgraded following Paxton's death. A grand jury indicted him on two counts of second-degree murder in addition to the assault charge.

The case raises difficult questions about young parenthood, support systems, and the pressures that can lead to tragedy. But nothing can explain or excuse the deliberate harming of an innocent child.

Tonight, somewhere in Oregon, a mother grieves for her baby while a teenage father faces the consequences of his actions. Paxton Schuler lived for only six weeks, but his story reminds us of our collective responsibility to protect the most vulnerable among us.

If you or someone you know is struggling with the pressures of parenthood, help is available. The National Parent Helpline can be reached at 1-855-427-2736. They offer free emotional support and resources for parents and caregivers.

To stay updated on this case and other true crime stories, please subscribe to The True Crime Pod wherever you get your podcasts. Visit our website at thetruecrimepod.com for additional content, including links to support organizations and resources. Remember, staying informed helps prevent future tragedies.

Until next time, stay safe and look out for one another.