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Home > Blogs > Dayton area crime > Archives > 2009 > June > 17 > Entry
Mother of toddler doesn’t blame boyfriend for his death
DAYTON - The mother of a 2-year-old boy who died last week after suffering significant trauma to his midsection said she doesn’t hold herself or her boyfriend responsible for the toddler’s death.
Denise Stinson and roughly 30 others gathered outside in the 3500 block of Hoover Avenue on Wednesday, June 17, for a prayer vigil and memorial for her son, Malechi D. Wilson.
Malechi died at Children’s Medical Center at 8:46 p.m. on June 9 after police responded to home of Stinson’s boyfriend, Mark A. Newberry, at 910 Crestmore Ave. on a report of a child in duress, police said.
Roughly seven hours later, police arrested Stinson, 23, and Newberry, 45, who is not the child’s biological father, on charges of child endangering after they were taken downtown to police headquarters for questioning about 2:15 a.m. June 10.
“I don’t know if it was an accident or what it is I can’t say,” Stinson said. “I am just trying to do my best to get through this.”
Malechi’s death was ruled a homicide caused by blunt-force trauma to the abdomen, according to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office. Coroner James Davis said he does not plan to change his ruling.
Police initially charged the couple with child endangering because they did not immediately seek medical attention for Malechi, who was in “obvious physical distress for a number of hours,” Lt. Patrick Welsh said.
County prosecutors would not approve charges related to Malechi’s death so Stinson and Newberry were released from jail on June 11. Prosecutors have instructed police to continue the investigation.
“I do not hold Mark responsible,” Stinson said through tears Wednesday. “I have talked to him (since Malechi’s death) and he is in the same condition I am. I can’t say what happened because I don’t know what happened.”
Malechi had been in foster care for less than a year before he was returned to Stinson in April, according to Montgomery County Children Services.
The department began a file on Stinson and Malechi in October 2007, and shortly after that, Wilson was placed in foster care, agency spokeswoman Ann Stevens said.
Stinson declined Wednesday to address issues related to Malechi’s foster care.
Welsh said detectives are still investigating Malechi’s death and expect to meet with prosecutors again to get charges filed against whomever caused the toddler’s death.
Stinson said Newberry wanted to be at Wednesday’s vigil for Malechi, but decided against showing up.
Malechi’s funeral is scheduled for tomorrow, but Stinson did not want to release any more details.
Bethsaida Missionary Baptist Church pastor Jesse Watson led Wednesday’s prayer vigil and urged everyone to pray for Stinson and Malechi. Watson placed his hands on Stinson and told her to put faith in God because “that is what it will take to get you through these days of sorrow.”
See photos from the vigil:
http://projects.daytondailynews.com/cache/galleries/News/Nation-World/061709vigil/
