Man intentionally drops 1-year-old from balcony in fight with child’s mom, WI cops say

A man accused of dropping a 1-year-old child off a balcony didn’t think he “went overboard” with his actions, Wisconsin authorities say.

The toddler was injured and bruised following the March 13 incident in Milwaukee, but the injuries were not considered severe, according to a criminal complaint obtained by WITI.

“This is my baby involved,” Shakira Walters told WISN. “She could’ve died. She could’ve gotten really hurt from that, and I’m just mad.”

Police said the toddler was thrown after Walters was in a physical altercation with 31-year-old Jaimann Eiland, the husband of her mother, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

They were in an argument about the child running into Eiland while he was cooking, the publication reported. He is accused of grabbing the child and shaking her.

As the argument intensified, the woman “feared for her safety,” according to WDJT, citing the court documents. Authorities said Eiland grabbed a knife and told the woman she was going “to die,” the news outlet reported.

Eiland then picked up the 1-year-old and lifted her by her neck on the second-story porch, WITI reported, citing the complaint.

He is accused of intentionally throwing the toddler off the 15-foot balcony, then punching the woman in the face for around a minute, according to the Journal Sentinel.

“He was definitely trying to kill my baby,” Walters told WISN.

When he turned himself into police, Eiland told officers he “knew the fight had gone too far” when the baby fell, but he said he “didn’t think he went overboard,” according to WDJT.

However, he said he “probably” hit the woman too many times, the Journal Sentinel reported.

Eiland was reportedly charged with substantial battery in domestic abuse and physical abuse of a child.

This story was originally published March 20, 2025 at 7:01 AM with the headline "Man intentionally drops 1-year-old from balcony in fight with child’s mom, WI cops say."