Austintown man whose daughter died held on separate assault

By JUSTIN DENNIS

jdennis@vindy.com

AUSTINTOWN

A township man under investigation in his 4-month-old daughter’s death will remain in jail on an unrelated charge.

Christian Sumpter, 25, of North Roanoke Avenue, appeared Monday afternoon before Judge David D’Apolito of Mahoning County Area Court on a felony count of felonious assault. He did not enter a plea. The charge will be bound over to the Mahoning County grand jury.

Sumpter and several others were involved in a melee Sept. 4 at Sumpter’s North Roanoke Avenue home. One person suffered a broken collar bone, according to an Austintown police report.

Sumpter had just returned from the county jail on an unrelated warrant. On Sept. 3, Sumpter’s 4-month-old daughter, Adaleah Sumpter, died after falling and striking her head at Sumpter’s North Roanoke home. The Summit County Medical Examiner’s office ruled the girl died from blunt force trauma to the head.

According to a police report obtained by 21 WFMJ-TV, The Vindicator’s broadcast partner, Sumpter was tossing the girl in the air in a playful manner. He told police he yawned, causing him to lose control of the child.

Charges have yet to be filed in her death.

Judge D’Apolito set Sumpter’s bond at $150,000, with the condition Sumpter have no contact with the alleged victim until Sept. 20, court records show.

Sumpter’s attorney, Roger Bauer of Warren, called the bond excessive and asked the court to reconsider, stating the 25-year-old Sumpter has no prior criminal convictions and could be awaiting charges in “another matter.”

Sumpter teared up as he left the courtroom followed by a county deputy sheriff. He’s set for a preliminary hearing Sept. 19 in the Austintown court.