3-year-old s death ruled homicide

2/10/2004

The death of a 3-year-old boy Jan. 17 has been ruled a homicide after laboratory and toxicology tests ruled out possible natural causes.

Though Hassani Berry was thought to have died after his mother, Angela Berry, 32, of 1520 Elm St., Apt. D, exposed him to the cold as a form of punishment, Dr. Diane Barnett, a Lucas County deputy coroner, said she wanted to make sure other factors, such as a viral infection, had not brought on the “profound hypothermia.”

Firefighters responding to Ms. Berry s 911 call found the naked child in the hallway of the North Toledo apartment, his body cold to the touch.

Yesterday, Dr. Barnett said autopsy results showed the child “was completely healthy.”

Ms. Berry, who had three other children taken from her because of abuse allegations, is charged with involuntary manslaughter in commission of misdemeanor child endangering. She told police she found her son floating in the bathtub.