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Parents are accused of starving their baby and are being charged with murder

CANTON – Two Canton parents accused of starving their 11-month-old son to death were indicted on murder charges by a Stark County grand jury on Friday.

Eric W. Rush, the child's father, and Tyasia R. Singleton, the child's mother, were both charged with murder and two counts of child endangerment. Rush was also charged with possession of weapons while disabled. They are scheduled to be arraigned next Friday before Stark County Common Pleas Judge Taryn Heath.

Singleton and Rush were originally charged with misdemeanor counts of condoning child abuse and child endangerment, as well as misdemeanor domestic violence. Rush was originally charged with felony possession of a weapon while under disability.

The two defendants have been held in the Stark County Jail since their arrest in late June and have each posted bail of $1 million.

Messages seeking comment were left Friday evening for the Stark County Public Defender's Office, which is representing Rush, and for attorney Ty Graham, who is representing Singleton.

More about the case: Baby starves to death in Canton. Why did social workers stop previous investigations into his care?

What are the charges against Eric Rush and Tyasia Singleton?

The indictment alleges that from July 17, 2023, to June 25, 2024, Rush and Singleton caused the death of their son by committing the crime of child endangerment. The grand jury accused them of mistreating the boy and creating a substantial risk to the health and safety of their son by breaching their duty of care, protection or support, thereby causing him substantial harm, the indictment states.

Rush was charged with illegal possession of a firearm on or about June 25 after being convicted of aggravated assault as a minor in Summit County in 2014.

It is not clear how the case came to Canton police's attention. The boy was found starving to death in a home on 10th Street NE on June 25, shortly before he died the same day at Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital.

In a preliminary hearing in Canton Municipal Court on July 3, a Canton Police detective testified that the boy was extremely emaciated. There was no baby formula at home and his parents tried to give him spoiled milk, he said.

Reach Robert at [email protected]. X, formerly Twitter: @rwangREP.

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