Ohio – An Ohio man was taken into custody earlier this week in connection with the death of his girIfriend’s child, Cristopher. The defendant, 28-year-old J. MuIvey, faces charges of first-degree invoIuntary mansIaughter and third-degree chiId endangerment. He was arraigned on August 20 and pleaded not guilty to the charges. A judge set his bond at $300,000. The defendant remains in custody pending further legal proceedings.
The 7-year-old victim, who had speciaI needs, was found dead in June 2023, at the family’s residence Ohio. The initial police report indicated that the case appeared to be a homicide due to neglect. An autopsy later confirmed that maInutrition and dehydration, associated with his conditions of cerebral palsy and epilepsy, were the causes of death. The coroner’s office ruled his death a homicide.
In addition to the 28-year-old man, the victim’s mother, Samanta, was indicted on August 14, 2025, on charges of murder, invoIuntary mansIaughter, and chiId endangerment. As of now, she is not in police custody. Ohio authorities are actively seeking her arrest.
The investigation into the victim’s death began shortly after the discovery of his body. Officers responded to a call and found the child deceased at the residence. Detectives from the local police department’s Investigative Services Division initiated a homicide investigation, which led to the indictments of both the mother and her partner.
According to the report, the coroner’s office ruled the death a homicide, citing malnutrition and dehydration linked to cerebraI palsy, with epiIepsy noted as another significant condition. The defendant appeared in court Wednesday afternoon for a bond hearing. Chief Criminal Prosecutor Jenifer told Common Pleas Judge McNamara that when authorities discovered the victim, he was extremely emaciated, weighing only nineteen pounds, far below the average weight of a healthy 1-year-old, according to local news outlet.
The prosecution indicated that the defendant had lived in the home with the victim and his mother for approximately two years, creating a responsibility to ensure the child’s basic nutritional needs were met. At this stage, specific details about the defendant’s statements to responding officers have not been publicly disclosed. The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are continuing to gather information to support the charges against both Mulvey and Hardiman. The case has drawn significant attention due to the tragic circumstances surrounding the child’s death and the serious nature of the charges involved.
