Mother charged in death of boy found in apartment
1/18/2004A 3-year-old boy was pronounced dead at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center early yesterday, and by midafternoon his mother had been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
Authorities said the naked body of Hassani Berry was found in the hallway of a North Toledo apartment, his body cold to the touch of city firefighters who tried to resuscitate him.
Angela Berry of 1520 Elm St., Apt. D was charged with involuntary manslaughter in the commission of misdemeanor child endangering, a third-degree felony. She was booked into the Lucas County jail, according to a statement issued by police.
Ms. Berry dialed 911 at
When firefighters arrived, they found the boy in a hallway “in full cardiac arrest” and cold to the touch, according to another police document.
The document said the boy s body temperature measured 64 degrees at the St. Vincent emergency room.
An autopsy performed by Dr. Diane Barnett, deputy Lucas County coroner, did not reveal a cause of death. Dr. Barnett ruled out drowning, or blunt-force, or other trauma and said other tests would be conducted before a ruling. She said the boy s low body temperature was being investigated, as well as information from police.
Dr. Barnett said there were no signs of frostbite, and it was not immediately clear why the body was so cold.
Ms. Berry told authorities she found the boy floating face up in the bathtub, according to the police statement.
“The story the mom is giving does not reconcile at all with the autopsy findings,” she said.
“There is information that has been given to us in the emergency room that we are trying to substantiate.”