A child vanished right inside their own home. And just a few hours later, the entire basement looked like a nightmare no one dared to speak of  again. The traces left behind forced investigators to race against time, while the last person seen with the child gave a statement that sent chills  through everyone who heard it.

We do have breaking news out of Ripley, West Virginia, where a jury has found Benjamin  Taylor guilty in the rape and murder of his girlfriend’s 10-month old baby.  In the end, what truly happened behind that closed  door. Emila Beeringer was born on  Thanksgiving Day in 2015, arriving 8 weeks early and later living with her family in the Ripley area of Jackson County, West Virginia.

Though tiny  and fragile, she was full of life and quickly became the greatest joy of her mother, Amanda Atkins. Emil  was described as a constantly smiling baby with a gentle temperament, rarely fussy, and always bringing a warm, peaceful feeling  to their small home. She had three older siblings, 7-year-old Nathaniel, 6-year-old  Carly, and 2-year-old Cameron, who were all deeply attached  to her, often playing with her and helping care for her.

At 10  months old, Emily began taking her first steps and babbling simple words, becoming the center  of attention for the entire family. Even in her short time  of life, her presence brought everyone closer together and created a sense of hope for a new  beginning. In the summer of 2016, Amanda realized it was time to make a change and find a safer, more stable environment for her children.

their previous home in the suburbs of Baltimore. Maryland had kept her constantly on edge, especially while raising three older kids and baby Emila, who was still very young. After much thought, Amanda packed up everything and moved the children to a quieter, more peaceful area in Ripley, Jackson County, West Virginia.

The move marked an important turning point, a new beginning that Amanda hoped would bring a calmer life and better opportunities for her family. Soon after moving to West Virginia, Amanda met a man named Benjamin Taylor. In the beginning, Benjamin came across as caring and attentive, often spending time around Amanda and her children, creating the impression that he genuinely wanted to be part  of this small family.

With the affection and closeness he showed, Amanda believed Benjamin was the right companion, a missing piece in the new life she was trying to build. Her trust and feelings for him grew quickly. Driven by the hope of creating a stable home after the major transition her family had just gone through. By August 2016, Benjamin publicly posted a photo on Facebook of  himself and Amanda kissing as a way to show that their relationship was moving quickly.

Just a few days later on September 7th, he updated his relationship status to in a relationship with Amanda Atkins, leading everyone around them to believe the two were beginning to build a life together. However, behind those romantic images was a reality  Amanda had not yet seen. Benjamin had a history of legal trouble, including incidents of theft and multiple failures to comply  with previous probation requirements.

Even so, after only a few months of knowing him and trusting the kindness he appeared  to show, Amanda agreed to let Benjamin move in with her and the children at their new home in Ripley, beginning a chapter that seemed stable on the surface, but carried risks she never imagined. On the night of October 2nd, 2016, when the family had been settled in Ripley for a few months, Amanda and her three older children went to bed around 9: 00 p.m.

, expecting an evening as ordinary as any other. Benjamin stayed in the living room, saying he wasn’t tired yet. At that moment, baby Emila was sitting quietly in her swing. A little later, Benjamin went down to the basement, saying he needed to do laundry and took Emily with him, telling Amanda that he had finished the  house chores and was listening to music while organizing things.

Time continued to pass in silence with hours going by and no sign of Benjamin or Emila returning upstairs. Around 4 a.m., Amanda woke up and instinctively  looked toward Emila’s crib. It was empty, so was the small bed beside it, and Benjamin was no longer in the room. Thinking he might have taken Emily downstairs and fallen asleep with her on  the couch, or that she was still sitting in her swing, Amanda stepped into the living room.

But the entire space was silent and empty. She suddenly remembered Benjamin saying he would go to the basement to do laundry. Amanda quietly began walking down the stairs, unaware that nothing could have prepared her for what was waiting below. The scene she found in that basement would become an image that haunted her for the rest of her life.

Amanda entered the dimly lit basement without expecting anything out of the ordinary, but the sight before her made her stop short. Benjamin appeared half naked, positioned right next to Emila,  and Benjamin’s lower half was missing. For the first moment, the dim lighting made it impossible for Amanda to understand  exactly what was going on.

Confused and bewildered, she asked Benjamin what he was doing. Benjamin, inexplicably calm, said that he was just cleaning Emily. However, Benjamin’s reaction and the sight before her made Amanda immediately feel that something was completely wrong. Amanda moved closer and under the weak basement light, the full reality became  unmistakable.

Emil was found without her clothing, lying motionless on a  pile of scattered blankets and clothes. Her face showed troubling streaks. Her skin had turned pale and her expression was clearly abnormal. Amanda rushed forward, touched her daughter, and realized Emil’s body was ice cold, barely responsive, letting out only faint, strained sounds from her throat.

A mother’s instinct surged through her. Amanda grabbed Emila and struck Benjamin across the  face in panic, demanding he explain what was happening. She then ran upstairs with trembling hands and immediately called 911. During the call, Amanda told the dispatcher that her daughter was in critical condition and that something extremely serious had occurred.

Her voice kept breaking as she repeated that she was certain Benjamin had done something completely unacceptable. In the emergency recording, Amanda can clearly be heard demanding that Benjamin tell the truth, questioning why Emil was in such a condition and what he had done beforehand. Just minutes after the emergency call, police units and an ambulance arrived at the home.

When they entered, officers immediately assessed the situation. Amanda was holding Emil, who was in a critical state, her body showing almost no clear response. Paramedics took Emila and carried her to the ambulance for urgent intervention. At the hospital, doctors received her in extremely severe condition.

Despite significant efforts to stabilize and revive her, nothing improved. The attending physician later determined that Emily could not be saved, and her passing was officially recorded on the afternoon of October 3rd, 2016. Her body was then transferred to the medical examiner’s office for a full evaluation.

The forensic report noted multiple areas of trauma, indicating a serious incident had taken place before she  was found. The medical examiner also documented major head trauma consistent with an impact against a hard surface. The official cause of her passing was identified as a skull fracture that led to an irreversible condition.

Benjamin Taylor was taken into custody almost immediately after investigators gathered enough initial evidence from the scene. In the first stage of prosecution, he was charged with committing a level one violent offense based on the traces and information  authorities collected in the basement and surrounding areas.

After being transported to the Jackson County Detention Facility, Benjamin was processed according to standard procedures,  which included inmate registration, an initial health screening, and classification to determine his appropriate housing placement.  A Cottageville man accused of the rape and murder of 10-month-old Emily Behringer appears in court before a judge in Jackson County.

Cameras were not permitted in the courtroom, but we did get this video of Taylor shackled and wearing a helmet and bulletproof vest as he was walking in and out of court. The purpose of this latest hearing was to check the status of the case and schedule a new trial date. After the medical examiner completed the forensic report  and confirmed the cause of MLA’s passing, prosecutors elevated the charges against Benjamin to an offense involving intentional conduct that resulted in severe consequences.

During interviews with investigators,  Benjamin claimed he could not clearly remember what had happened. He admitted taking Emila to the basement that night, but said his memory became fragmented afterward. The last thing he recalled was sorting clothes and handling the laundry. Benjamin also stated that on the day of the incident, he had consumed eight beers and used a small amount of a harmful substance with Amanda, but this statement did not match what deputies at the scene observed. They reported that

Benjamin showed no signs of intoxication or loss of control when they first encountered him. Benjamin continued telling investigators that he often  experienced memory gaps, sometimes lasting around 30 minutes, other times stretching up to  6 hours. And because of that, he did not clearly remember reorganizing items or why certain streaks had been washed down the basement sink.

However, regardless  of Benjamin’s explanations, one fact became unmistakably clear during the investigation. In the critical period when Emila’s safety depended on immediate action, Benjamin did nothing to seek help. That span of time left irreversible consequences and became a lasting source of heartbreak for Amanda and everyone who loved Emila.

As  detectives broadened the scope of their investigation, they turned their attention to the data on Benjamin’s phone. And what was  extracted from the device immediately drew serious concern from authorities. Between 2:52  a.m. and 3:17 a.m. Records showed that Benjamin accessed and searched for adultoriented content, all while Emily was in a critical state  inside the same home.

His online activity appeared calm and deliberate,  showing no sign that he understood the seriousness of what was unfolding at that moment. But that was not the only data recorded. At 4:54  a.m., the call log on Benjamin’s phone showed an outgoing call lasting 9 seconds to a number saved as home. 6  minutes later, an ambulance arrived at the front of the house, creating a timeline that drew particular attention from investigators  and later became a significant part of the case analysis.

Shortly after, medical personnel  reached the scene, Benjamin’s phone received a message from his brother asking if everything was okay. Benjamin’s reply indicated he understood he was in serious trouble, responding that he was in big trouble and mentioning that he had just taken someone’s property along with a pessimistic remark about his own situation.

While the phone data analysis was underway, the investigative team at the scene documented what they described as an extremely serious environment. Multiple streak-like traces were found throughout the basement area, appearing on bedding, clothing, and several other locations within the space. A search warrant was issued shortly afterward to seize the clothing Benjamin had worn on the night of the incident, and authorities  collected DNA samples for forensic evaluation.

After the initial assessments, Benjamin was transferred directly to the South Central Regional Jail for detention.  Given the severity of the case and the associated factors, the court set bail at $2 million, sparking strong reactions from the local community and deep concern about what had happened to Emil.

On October 5, 2016, an online petition emerged calling for the strictest possible punishment for Benjamin Taylor. Within just a few days, the petition gained a substantial number of signatures  from citizens expressing outrage and concern over the seriousness of the situation involving Emila. However, despite the intense public response, the petition was later removed from the platform  because its content exceeded the limits permitted for publication.

Years passed after the  incident and by March 2019, the official trial began. Over 5 days of proceedings, the courtroom became the setting for one of the most unsettling cases West Virginia had seen in years. Benjamin appeared under strict supervision, wearing a protective vest and helmet, and remained handcuffed as he was brought into and escorted out of the courtroom.

The prosecution presented a series of substantial evidence to support the charges against him. What surprised many observers, however, was the appearance of witnesses who testified in Benjamin’s favor. One by one, people from his past were called to the stand, including friends, relatives, and even the mother of his child.

The girlfriend of Benjamin’s brother described him as calm and helpful, saying he supported her during her pregnancy and assisted her family when his brother faced health issues. She stated that Benjamin had always been kind to her young son and had never shown any behavior outside normal boundaries during the time they knew each other.

Next, Brena Garns, the mother of Benjamin’s son, was called to the stand. Brina testified that Benjamin often played with her daughter and consistently  showed kindness when interacting with young children. She also stated that whenever he consumed alcoholic beverages, Benjamin  tended to withdraw rather than display any aggressive behavior.

By the end of her testimony, Brana made a statement that brought the entire courtroom to silence. She said she could not imagine Benjamin being capable of the actions he was being accused of in this case. For the family experiencing such  a painful loss, these supportive testimonies were difficult to hear as they could not understand why anyone would defend someone  facing such a serious situation.

Even so, Benjamin’s father stepped forward  to testify. Speaking before the jury, he said he was proud of Benjamin  and insisted that his son had never shown any concerning behavior throughout his upbringing. He described Benjamin as a gentle child from an early age, attempting to present an image completely different from what was outlined in the case file.

Benjamin’s father continued his testimony by recalling the morning of October 3, 2016 when his wife woke him in a panic and both of them  rushed to where Amanda lived. He stated that during the drive to the hospital, Amanda appeared calm and did not show signs of panic or anger. However, his account did not align with the information documented  by the first responders.

In court, the prosecution played the emergency call recording in which Amanda’s voice was filled with despair, sobbing uncontrollably and clearly in a state of complete emotional collapse as she reported Emila’s condition.  In a phone call played for the jury, you can hear her talking to Taylor, begging for an explanation.

In court, the prosecution proceeded to show a video recorded at the hospital. At the moment, doctors informed the family that Emila’s condition could not be restored. The atmosphere in the courtroom grew tense, and at that point, Benjamin’s mother, Rita  Taylor, suddenly interjected, claiming that Amanda had been pretending during the emergency call when she was crying.

The remark caused visible discomfort throughout  the courtroom due to the sensitivity of the situation. Following this, Benjamin’s brother, Zachary Taylor, was called to the stand and gave a brief statement. Zachary said that Benjamin had once been a positive influence on his children and expressed  that he could not believe Benjamin was capable of being involved in the actions described in the indictment.

Although many witnesses  stepped forward to offer statements in Benjamin’s defense, the investigative file and the evidence presented painted a completely different picture. As the trial moved into its final days, one question repeatedly surfaced in the minds of many inside the courtroom. Were those testimonies  strong enough to shift the perception of what had happened? In her testimony,  Benjamin’s mother, Rita Taylor, recalled his childhood with a tone filled with nostalgia, describing him as gentle,

affectionate, and always attentive toward his son, his nephew,  and other children in the family. However, she also admitted there was one moment she could not explain. On the morning of October 3, 2016, she received  a call from Benjamin. And in that brief conversation, he simply told her he loved her before abruptly  ending the call without offering any further explanation.

The prosecution continued its questioning with a key inquiry directed at Rita Taylor. The prosecutor posed a hypothetical scenario. If Benjamin had truly found a child in an injured state and understood the seriousness of the situation, wouldn’t his natural reaction have been to immediately call emergency services? Rita nodded, stating that under such circumstances, Benjamin would certainly have tried to  contact someone for medical assistance.

From there, the prosecutor followed with a pointed question. If that was true, why was it Amanda who made the emergency call instead of Benjamin? And why was the request for help only made after Amanda happened to discover what was occurring in the basement? The question created a noticeable pause in the courtroom, becoming a significant moment that left many people reflecting on what had actually taken  place in the period before the 911 call was made.

As the trial continued, the prosecution presented several recorded audio clips captured while Benjamin was in custody. In one clip played for the jury, Benjamin’s voice came through from behind the bars, sounding calm as he said he did not know Emil had been severely injured until someone else informed him. in another recording.

His tone shifted and he stated that he did not hesitate to take responsibility for the things he admitted he had done. Those words left a heavy silence across the courtroom. When Benjamin took the stand himself, he offered a different narrative, saying he had tried to build a bond with Emila and hoped for a long-term future with Amanda, including plans for marriage and starting a new life together.

He said that every time he walked into Emila’s room, she would smile in an innocent way he claimed to cherish. However, during cross-examination, the prosecution asked Benjamin whether he had ever made joking remarks about potentially harming others in a sensitive  context. Benjamin denied it immediately and insisted such comments never occurred.

The prosecution then presented additional material  gathered from Benjamin’s social media accounts, including a series of screenshots  showing posts with suggestive, sensitive themes and several inappropriate  joking images along with a cover photo featuring a controversial personal statement.

These images caused  the atmosphere in the courtroom to grow noticeably heavier as the jury watched the entire presentation.  Next, the prosecution introduced the forensic evidence. Examiners identified multiple streak-like  traces belonging to Emily on the bedding and the basement floor, as well as additional traces found in  her diaper.

The analysis also detected biological evidence originating  from a male and later confirmed that the male DNA appeared on the  clothing Benjamin had worn on the night of the incident. These findings  were considered critical pieces of evidence, reinforcing the direction of the investigation  pursued by authorities.

Although the evidence had been presented with considerable clarity, the defense continued offering arguments aimed at reducing Benjamin’s level of responsibility. They called a witness named Barbara K, who had previously lived next door to Amanda in their old apartment complex. Barbara’s unit shared a wall with the home where Amanda and her children had lived before moving to West Virginia.

According to Barbara, on the night of the incident, she went to bed early, but was awakened at around 12:30 a.m. by the sound of a child crying through the shared wall. [crying] The noise was not just ordinary crying. It resembled a distressed scream for help. something that immediately caught Barbara’s attention, though she could not determine exactly what was happening at that moment.

A verdict of the jury. You have been found guilty of the offense of murder in first degree is contained in count two of the indictment, guilty of death of a child by child abuse as contained in count three of the indictment, and sexual abuse by a guardian. whether that verdict was then.  Family members here telling us finally they feel that justice for baby Emily has been served.

Sentencing in this case.  After an extended trial, the jury delivered its final verdict along with a recommendation that would ultimately determine the outcome of the entire case. Benjamin Taylor was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, meaning he will spend the rest of his life in a correctional facility.

For the charge involving intentional  conduct that caused severe harm to a young child, Benjamin received a life sentence. In addition, the court imposed 40 years for the offense involving a minor and 10 to 20 years for violating the responsibilities of a caregiver. Along with these sentences, the court ordered a fine of $5,000.

All of the penalties were mandated to run consecutively, meaning each sentence would begin only when the previous one ended with no option for reduction or early release under any circumstances.  And then an unexpected moment unfolded in the courtroom. For the first time since the trial began, Benjamin Taylor showed signs of emotional collapse.

Throughout the proceedings, he had maintained a cold, distant expression, barely reacting to any testimony or to the difficult forensic images shown to the jury, including the materials related to Emila’s injuries. However, when the official sentence was read, Benjamin broke down in tears on the spot. Judge Tatterson delivered the jury’s decision clearly and firmly, stating that Benjamin had been found guilty of intentional conduct that resulted in the severe outcome involving a young child and of a serious violation of his

responsibilities as a caregiver. Inside the courtroom, Emila’s family sat together, watching the verdict with solemn expressions, and in their eyes appeared a small sense of peace, feeling that the long search for justice  had finally reached its conclusion. However, not everyone present accepted the outcome.

Immediately after the sentence  was delivered, Benjamin’s defense attorney announced that he would file an appeal. He argued that certain key pieces of evidence had not  been fully considered and claimed that Benjamin had not received what he believed to be a completely fair trial. In April 2017, just a few months after the incident, and while the investigation was at its peak, West Virginia Governor Jim Justice signed a new law known as Emma’s Law, created in memory of Emila Bearinger, the child who

tragically faced an ending far too soon. The law increases penalties for acts of harm against children that result in a fatal outcome, strengthens legal accountability, and establishes a stricter sentencing framework for similar cases in the future. Long before Emila’s name appeared in legal documents or before the courtroom recorded every testimony and every piece of evidence, what remained was the immense grief carried by her family and by those who loved her.

On October 7,  2016, hundreds of people gathered in Pasadena, Maryland to honor Emil in a candlelight vigil  where the small flames formed a soft glow beneath the night sky. Attendees  came from nearby communities, local groups, and area  churches, all present to express their sorrow for a child many had never met, yet felt they  could never forget.

Emila’s family stood quietly during the ceremony, wearing shirts printed with her bright, smiling face, requesting  privacy so they could hold space for their own grief, while also offering thanks to everyone who came to  support them. Emily Behringer was laid to rest on Sunday, October 16, 2016 with services held at McCully Peliniac  Funeral Home in Pasadena.

Her final resting place is Glenn Haven Memorial Park  in Glenn Bernie, Maryland, where she lies beneath the trees and continues to be remembered by those who loved her. Closing the case of Emila Bearinger, we see a story not only of loss,  but also of gaps in vigilance, in trust, and in the protection of those who are most vulnerable.

This  case reminds us that just one moment of inattention or one wrong person entering a family’s life can change  everything in ways no one ever expects. It is also a reminder for  every family to be cautious with new relationships and to pay attention to even the smallest signs that something may be wrong.

Thank  you for following today’s story in our true crime documentary series. If you would like to leave a message in memory of Emil, feel free to share  a comment below. Don’t forget to share this video so more people can learn about her story. And please  like and subscribe to continue joining us in future episodes of True Crime Documentary.

We’ll see you in  the next story.