A Summit County judge on Tuesday pulled the plug on the case against Quinte Hamilton‑Little, the Akron man charged in connection with the death of a five‑month‑old baby, halting a jury trial that was set to start Wednesday. The dismissal was entered without prejudice, which pauses the courtroom showdown for now. The infant, Azeil Apollo Rivera, died on Feb. 13, 2025, after being rushed to Akron Children’s Hospital with life‑threatening injuries.
According to Cleveland 19, Hamilton‑Little had been indicted on charges including murder, felonious assault and endangering children. The station reports that because the case was dismissed without prejudice, prosecutors still have the option to bring those same charges again.
How the Case Unfolded
As reported by News 5, Akron emergency crews were called on the afternoon of Feb. 10, 2025, to the 1100 block of Lakeshore Boulevard for a report of an injured infant. The child was taken to Akron Children’s Hospital, and detectives later identified Hamilton‑Little as a suspect. Members of the U.S. Marshals’ Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force arrested him on Feb. 11. The baby, Azeil Apollo Rivera, died from his injuries on Feb. 13, and the Summit County Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head and torso.
What “Without Prejudice” Means
Dismissal without prejudice is not an acquittal, and it does not clear a defendant the way a not‑guilty verdict would. The Legal Information Institute explains that a without‑prejudice dismissal keeps the door open for prosecutors to refile charges later instead of closing the case for good. Cleveland 19 noted that in this instance, the move effectively stops the scheduled trial on procedural grounds, at least for now.
What’s Next
Whether the charges return is now up to the Summit County prosecutor, who will decide after reviewing the evidence and procedure. Any refiled counts would appear on the public court docket. Authorities had previously asked anyone with information about the case to contact Akron police, News 5 reported, and local outlets said federal partners assisted in the arrest. We will be watching court records and public filings for any new movement in the case.
