Willoughby man indicted in infant son’s death

A Willoughby man is facing multiple charges, including two counts of murder, in a May 2020 death of his infant son.

According to Willoughby Police, the city fire department responded to a call of a 3-week-old child having labored breathing at 1:34 a.m. May 22, 2020. The child was treated then transported to the emergency room at Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Heights. After being evaluated at Hillcrest Hospital, the child was transferred to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the Cleveland Clinic main campus.

Later that day, Lake

County Jobs and Family Services was contacted by the hospital regarding the child, according to a Willoughby police news release.

This was done after observations made by those tending to the child, presented indications of possible child abuse. Lake County Jobs and Family Services then contacted the Willoughby Police Department, which initiated an investigation. The child died on May 29. Since that time, detectives, clinicians and social service personnel worked to gather information related to the cause of death, which was ruled a homicide by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office.

After what Willoughby police called a lengthy investigation, the Lake

County Prosecutor’s Office presented the case to a grand jury.

The grand jury indicted the father, 30-year-old William L. Beasley on nine charges.

Those charges are two counts of murder, which are unclassified felonies, three counts of first-degree felony involuntary manslaughter, second-degree felony endangering children, second-degree felony felonious assault, third-degree felony reckless homicide and third-degree felony endangering children.

A search warrant was issued for Beasley’s arrest on May 11, which was served by members of the Willoughby Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force.

Beasley was taken into custody without incident and transported directly to the Lake County Jail, according to the news release.

Beasley is scheduled to be arraigned in the Lake County Court of Common Pleas on May 14, according to the release.

Beasley