YOUNGSTOWN Mother faces trial in death of baby

The mother of the dead child has denied the charges.
By JoANNE VIVIANO
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Prosecutors are requesting that the teen-age mother of a baby who died of head injuries on the city's East Side in October be tried in adult court on a charge of manslaughter.
Janell Thomas, of North Garland Avenue, who was 17 when the 11-month-old boy died, faces a charge of involuntary manslaughter in Mahoning County Juvenile Court. Now 18, she was arraigned Friday and denied the accusation, court personnel said.
Leroy Huff Jr. died Oct. 11 in Forum Health Tod Children's Hospital of blunt force trauma. The Trumbull County coroner's office ruled the death a homicide.
Jurisdiction: Court and prosecutor's office personnel said the state has filed a motion to transfer jurisdiction of the case from juvenile court to adult court. A hearing on the matter is pending in juvenile court.
Thomas' attorney, Mark Lavelle of Youngstown, said his client maintains her innocence. He said he has not yet received any evidence from the state that shows how they made a determination that his client is guilty of manslaughter.
Chief Assistant Prosecutor Nick Modarelli said he could not comment on the pending juvenile case.
Jayellen Thomas of Parkview Avenue, the baby's grandmother, told The Vindicator in October that she suspects he fell on a brass door stopper.
The grandmother was baby-sitting the child for her daughter at the North Garland Avenue home two days before the baby's death.
Thomas told police she placed the baby to nap on a mattress and bedsprings in the bedroom round 1:30 p.m. Oct. 9, police reports show.
She then fell asleep in another room while watching television with the baby's brother, who is 3. Around 2 p.m., she went to check on Leroy and found him lying on the floor, his lips purple.
She said she was baby-sitting while her daughter went to the store.
viviano@vindy.com