Middlesboro Parents Have Charges Dismissed in the Death of Their Child

From WRIL - The Big One -

On Monday March 16, 2026, a motion to dismiss charges against Loren Gage and Dakota Spencer in connection with the death of their child was filed in Bell Circuit Court.

As we previously reported, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, the Middlesboro Police Department, along with Middlesboro Fire/EMS, was dispatched to a Middlesboro residence in reference to an unresponsive 17-month-old child.

Upon first responders’ arrival, life-saving measures were administered, and the child was transported to the Middlesboro ARH Hospital. The child was later pronounced deceased by the Bell County Coroner's Office. The child’s body was subsequently transported to the State Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort, KY, for further examination. 

The results of the medical examiners autopsy determined that the death of the child was caused by “asphyxia consistent with co-sleeping with an adult on a couch.”

Loren Gage was then indicted for murder, and Dakota Spencer was indicted for manslaughter in the first degree.

The special prosecutor on the case, the Honorable Amanda Morgan from the KY AG’s Office, states in the order that “the Commonwealth does not believe there is evidence to support a wanton murder charge against the defendant (Loren Gage) or a manslaughter first degree charge against the co-defendant (Dakota Spencer).” 

Additionally, the order states that "the Commonwealth does not believe the evidence supports that defendant acted under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life to support a wanton murder charge or that the co-defendant knowingly permitted the victim to be abused and thereby caused the victim’s death to support a manslaughter first degree charge."

The order to dismiss was accepted and granted by Bell Circuit Court Judge Keith Nagle on Friday, March 20, 2026. Both Loren and Dakota have been released from custody.