Trial set for Austintown man accused of killing daughter

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

A man accused of killing his 4-month-old daughter in September is set for trial in March.

Christian A. Sumpter, 24, of North Roanoke Avenue, Austintown, appeared Wednesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court for a pretrial hearing on his felony counts of aggravated murder, murder and endangering children in the Sept. 3 death of Adaleah Sumpter.

Another pretrial date was set for Feb. 21, and a jury trial was set for March 18.

Adaleah died from blunt force trauma to the head, according to the Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Though Sumpter told police the girl fell while he was tossing her in the air playfully and that her death was an accident, the girl’s autopsy by the medical examiner’s office indicated otherwise, prosecutors said.