Man ordered to trial in 8-year-old boy’s death
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A man accused of having slammed his fiancée’s 8-year-old son onto the floor for not cleaning his room has been ordered to stand trial in the boy’s death.
Thirty-eight-year-old Orlando Williams is charged in Allegheny County with homicide, aggravated assault and child endangerment in the June death of JonMarquis Stepich of North Braddock.
Authorities allege that he had been drinking and tripped over a laundry basket in the boy’s room, then angrily tried to slam him onto the edge of his bed but missed and the boy fell to the floor.
Defense attorney Anne Marie Mancuso argued that the evidence presented wouldn’t support a charge more serious than involuntary manslaughter. She said Williams had acted as a “father figure” to the child for years and was “inconsolable” over his death.