An Oklahoma couple was charged with murder after they allegedly locked their 2-year-old daughter in a room with a dog that was known to fight, leading to her death.
Darci Lambert and Jorden McGuire were each charged with one count of first-degree murder, an alternative charge of second-degree murder and five counts of cruelty to animals, according to the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s Office.
Lambert, 25, and McGuire, 35, were arrested after their daughter, Locklynn, died in November 2025. They were originally set to be arraigned in July, but the hearing was delayed until September.
The Oklahoma City Police Department responded to their home on November 18, 2025, around 11:30 p.m. after Lambert called 911 to report that her daughter was not breathing, according to an affidavit obtained by KOKH.
Upon their arrival, officers found the girl dead in her bedroom. Authorities said they found wounds on her body, which were consistent with dog bites.
OKC Animal Welfare removed four dogs from the home, and police said that three of them appeared to be malnourished. Authorities said that a pit bull named Ella was believed to be responsible for the attack.
McGuire put Locklynn to bed around 7:30 p.m. on the night of the incident, according to the charging document. The father told investigators he took medication to fall asleep and he woke up around 8:45 p.m. to check on Locklynn. When he checked on her, he said that she was sleeping on a mattress with Ella.
He claimed to authorities that they kept Ella in the child’s room because she would often fight the other dogs. The charging documents noted that Locklynn’s room had toddler locks on either side of the door, which prevented her from leaving.
Lambert was working until about 10:30 p.m. and was not home when the girl was put to bed. Once she got home, she did not check on Locklynn and did not learn that her daughter was attacked until later.
Authorities believe Ella previously attacked Locklynn during another incident just 12 days before she was killed, and she sustained “serious injuries.” Despite the prior incident, the couple kept the dog confined but uncaged in the same room as the child.
“This is an unspeakably tragic case,” Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Zemp Behenna said in a statement about Locklynn’s death, per a press release. “Lambert and McGuire’s complete disregard for the health, safety, and welfare of their child, and their failure to protect her despite knowing she was at risk, led to her death.”
A GoFundMe was later set up to help pay for the child’s funeral expenses.
“Locklynn was pure light,” the fundraiser page stated. “She was curious, gentle, and full of joy — the kind of little girl whose smile could brighten even the hardest day. She loved deeply and was deeply loved. Losing her in such a heartbreaking and unexpected way has left our entire family shattered.”
It is not currently clear if Lambert or McGuire have entered pleas or retained legal counsel following their arrests.
