Man charged with murder in death of Bazetta boy, 4

Man charged with murder in death of Bazetta boy, 4

WARREN

Scott H. Walker, 33, of Bazetta and Champion, is charged with murder in the Saturday morning death of his girlfriend’s 4-year-old son, Nicholas Partin of Bazetta.

Police arrested Walker on Monday night in Packard Park after the Trumbull County coroner ruled the boy died from blunt-force trauma to his abdomen. He had a tear-drop-shaped bruise in the area of his belly button.

Emergency personnel from Bazetta Township were called to the home, at 2910 North Park Extension near Everett Hull Road, at 3:15 a.m. Saturday. Bazetta police officer Donald Utterback arrived first and began life-saving measures until paramedics arrived, but the boy was pronounced dead later at ValleyCare Trumbull Memorial Hospital.

His mother, Jennifer Light, told police that Walker, her live-in boyfriend, had punched the boy in the stomach Friday night. She said Nicholas said “ouch” and doubled over.

Detective David Morris of the Cortland Police Department, part of the Trumbull County Child Homicide Investigative Unit, interviewed Walker after he was arrested Monday, telling Walker that the boy died of a blow to the stomach.

“I didn’t mean to do it,” Walker said in reply, according to an affidavit filed with Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

Walker denied striking the boy with a closed fist but demonstrated to the officer that he hit the boy with a back-handed blow, the affidavit said.

Walker also had a bruised and swollen knuckle on the back of his right hand, according to the affidavit.