VAN WERT — Valarie K. Dean, 24, faces felony charges of involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment in connection with the death of her infant son, Hayden Ridinger.
Dean was scheduled to appear Wednesday in Van Wert Common Pleas Court for her arraignment. She was begin held in the Van Wert County Jail.
Dean’s former boyfriend, Christopher Peters, 26, is in the Van Wert Jail on aggravated murder and other felony charges stemming from the death of the child. Hayden was 15 months old at the time of his death. Peters’ trial is scheduled for September. Peters was being held in lieu of $2 million bail.
Dean found her son unresponsive and called 911 on Nov. 15. Another woman got on the phone and asked for police officers at the scene saying it was clear the child was dead. Dean said she last checked on her son the day before when he was sick and not eating.
According to the Delphos Police Department, investigators working with the Lucas County Coroner’s Office revealed new information that was presented to the April session of a Van Wert County grand jury. It returned the criminal indictments against Dean. She was arrested in Findlay at about 11 p.m. Thursday. She was held in the Hancock County Jail that evening on the felony warrants issued out of Van Wert County.
Dean was brought back to Van Wert County Jail the next day after waiving extradition.
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