Nicholas Peter Merrill, a 32-year-old Chattanooga man, was sentenced to 23 years in state prison on September 15, 2025, after pleading guilty to aggravated child neglect in the death of his 11-month-old daughter, Malaysia Merrill, on July 23, 2023.

Initially charged with first-degree murder and child neglect, Merrill faced allegations of purposefully neglecting and killing his daughter, who police believe was left in a hot area and was already deceased when taken to the hospital. The murder charge was dismissed as part of the plea deal.

Malaysia’s mother, in a GoFundMe post, expressed her grief, noting she had kissed her daughter goodbye before work, only to learn from a detective that Malaysia had passed away. Merrill was held on a $150,000 bond for the felony counts prior to his sentencing.