Father arraigned in infant’s death

Willoughby man charged in 2020 death of his 3-week-old son

A Willoughby man accused in the death of his 3-week-old son was arraigned on charges May 14 in Lake County Common Pleas Court.

William L. Beasley, 30, was indicted by a Lake County grand jury on May 11 on multiple counts — including two counts of murder — for the May 2020 death of his son. Beasley waived his right to be present at the arraignment hearing in Lake County Common Pleas Court, according to court records.

Bond was set at $100,000 with a 10 percent option.

According to a Willoughby police news release,

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 the news release. This was done after observations made by those tending to the child, presented indications of possible child abuse.

Jobs and Family Services then contacted the Willoughby Police Department, which initiated an investigation.

The child died May 29, according to the news release.

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, where Beasley was indicted on nine counts.

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 on May 11 and he was arrested by members of the Willoughby Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force without incident, according to the news release.

An assistant Lake County public defender has been appointed to represent Beasley, court records show.

Lake County Common Pleas Court Judge John P. O’Donnell is assigned to the case, according to court records.

Beasley