Monday, March 13, 2006
WAYNESBURG, Ohio (AP) -- A 32-year-old man has been charged with raping and killing his 7-month-old niece, authorities said.
Henry Sunderman of Canton was on suicide watch Sunday at the Stark County jail, where he was being held on a $2.5 million bond. He was charged with rape and murder in the death of Zoey Sunderman.
Waynesburg police said Sunderman called 911 Friday morning. Paramedics found the baby unresponsive, and she died around 2 p.m. in the intensive care unit of Akron Children's Hospital.
Sunderman cared for Zoey, her 7-year-old brother, and her 5- and 2-year-old sisters at their Waynesburg home while the children's mother was at work, investigators said.
Sgt. Rachel Volkar said the other children are in their mother's care.
Details of the baby's autopsy, which was performed Saturday by the Summit County medical examiner's office, were not released.
The death is the first homicide in Waynesburg since 1999, Volkar said.