PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — A man charged with killing his girlfriend’s baby is due to stand trial in February. Curtis Dean Richards Jr, 30, of St. Mary’s appeared before Wood County Circuit Judge J.D. Beane Tuesday for his formal arraignment.
Richards pleaded not guilty to a five count indictment connected to the death of of Ariella Noel Merinar, 1, of Parkersburg. Richards was babysitting the child along with her two year old sister while their mother was at work on August 5th.
Richards was initially questioned about the child’s death and told police the two-year-old choked the one-year-old with a blanket while she slept. An autopsy, completed several days later, revealed severe head and neck injuries on the victim.
He fled the area the day after making his statement to police. He was arrested September 23rd in Mexico City. The FBI and U.S. Marshal service brought him back to Parkersburg to face the charges where a grand jury had already returned a five count indictment on him.
Richards is charged with murder of a child by a guardian or custodian, death of a child by guardian or custodian, murder, grand larceny, and petit larceny.
He pleaded not guilty to all of the charges during his arraignment on Tuesday. He’s being held without bond awaiting trial.