Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 37-year-old Robert L. Dumas of Buffalo was sentenced this morning before State Supreme Court Justice M. William Boller to 20 years in prison and 5 years post release supervision.

The defendant caused life-threatening injuries to his girlfriend’s daughter by repeatedly assaulting the infant on September 15, 2020. The crime occurred at a home on Hirschbeck Avenue in the City of Buffalo. The victim, 17-month-old Simone Calhoun, was unresponsive when she was taken to Oishei Children’s Hospital. She died from the injuries on Saturday, September 19, 2020. The Erie County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the manner of death was homicide caused by blunt force trauma.

Dumas pleaded guilty to one count of Manslaughter in the First Degree (Class “B” violent felony) on August 2, 2022.

DA Flynn commends the Buffalo Police Department for their work in the investigation.   

The case was prosecuted by Chief Gary W. Hackbush of the Homicide Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Bethany A. Solek of the Vehicular Crimes Unit.