Coroner: Oliver boy died of complications from being shaken
An autopsy performed on an 11-year-old Oliver boy showed that he died from injuries he sustained from being shaken as an infant, according to Fayette County Coroner Bob Baker.
Leonardo Ramon Hinkle died Feb. 16, 2024, Baker said in a release issued Friday. An autopsy showed his death was caused by complications due to blunt force trauma to the head and neck, leading Baker to classify Hinkle’s death as a homicide.
Baker said Hinkle “had been the victim of Shaken Baby Syndrome at the hands of his father and suffered for years the consequences.”
Autopsy results took more than one year to complete because of the complexity of the tests, the coroner said.
Kyle Hinkle, 37, was charged in 2012 with shaking his son when he was 3 months old. At the time, the child was living in Bucks County.
According to a report from Action News 6 in Philadelphia, Leonardo Hinkle was taken to the hospital with head trauma, and medical personnel suspected he was abused.
Kyle Hinkle told police he shook his son because he was unable to stop the baby from crying, according to the news report.
An online court docket shows that Kyle Hinkle pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, simple assault and endangering the welfare of a child in 2013. He was sentenced to 11 months, 29 days, to 23 months, 29 days in prison and two years of probation.
Since Leonardo Hinkle’s death was determined to be homicide, Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele said his office must now determine what the next steps are. Aubele noted the initial assault occurred in another county, and the boy’s father had already been convicted of assaulting him.
“We’ve been working with the coroner’s office and now that we have a determination, we’re going to be looking into the possibility of extraditing the accused,” Aubele said.
While he was nonverbal, Leonardo Hinkle was a child full of love and joy, according to his obituary. The tribute told of the boy’s giggles and love of music.
“With a smile that engaged your heart and a laugh that can brighten your whole day, Leo could lighten any mood without much effort,” the obituary noted.
His mother, Stacey L. Milliken, was his primary caregiver, according to a GoFundMe initiated a year ago by his aunt.
“His mother did everything she could to provide Leo as much normalcy and love as possible including giving up her career to deal with his extensive medical needs,” the page reads. “Seeking the best medical care possible and going to the many doctor and specialist visits made it difficult to hold steady employment.”