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Guilty plea in Parkersburg child death case

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. — A Pleasants County man pleaded guilty Friday to killing the 1-year-old son of his former girlfriend.

Curtis Richards, Jr., 31, of St. Marys, admitted he took the life of Ariella Noel Merinar, of Parkersburg, Wood County Prosecutor Jason Wharton said.

Richards was babysitting the child along with her two-year-old sister while their mother was at work on Aug. 5, 2014. He 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.

Richards fled the area the day after making his statement to police. He was arrested Sept. 23, 2014 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 pleaded guilty to first degree murder and grand larceny in the Friday hearing. Prosecutor Wharton said Richards faces life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years on the murder conviction and 1-10 on the grand larceny conviction. Sentencing is set for Dec. 16.





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