Christopher Lashun Richmond, 31, was found guilty of charges related to the death of his seven-week-old son and assaulting the child’s mother, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. Richmond is set to face 26 years to life in prison for the incidents that occurred in South Pasadena in 2022. Jurors determined Richmond guilty of one count of assault on a child causing death and one count of injuring a spouse or cohabitant.
Despite those convictions, the jury was hung with a split of 11-1 on the murder charge. Not guilty was the verdict for the count of assault likely to produce great bodily injury as reported by KTLA.
The baby, named Cash, was initially found unconscious in September 2022 while Richmond was his sole caretaker – the child later died on February 17, 2023, after being removed from life support, and enduring cardiac arrest, as per KTLA.
Months prior, on April 3, 2022, Richmond had pushed the baby’s pregnant mother to the ground, inflicting bodily harm, a statement from the DA's Office elucidated.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón described the case as "unconscionable," saying, "Mothers and their children deserve our protection as some of the most vulnerable members of our society," a sentiment he expressed following the conclusion of the trial. Richmond's final sentencing is scheduled for December 13, as the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office detailed.
