A 2-year-old girl is found dead by suffocation inside an Ohio apartment, and her mother and the mother’s boyfriend are now charged with murder. A former private school teacher in Connecticut is arrested for the fourth time after new claims he inappropriately tickled a student. Drew Nelson reports.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Crime Alert hourly update, breaking crime news Now.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I'm Drew Nelson. A two year old girl is found
dead by suffocation inside an Ohio apartment, and her mother
and the mother's boyfriend are now charged with murder. Deputies
in Adams County responded to a nine to one to
one call just after nine am last Wednesday. Brian Moser,
aged twenty three, had called to report the child unresponsive.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
How old is she? She's two? Two year old? Yeah, bo,
she's all the way gone I don't know if they
suffocated last night or or what's going on. There's no
way that I don't know. I don't know if she's dead.
She welcome and found her.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
First responders arrived at the timber Ridge Apartments in West
Union and found the child not breathing. The attempted CPR,
but declared her dead there. The girl's two sisters, ages
one and five, were also found in the apartment. Both
had visible injuries. All three children were in the care
of their mother, twenty five year old Tian Hawkins and
her boyfriend Moser, who had legally changed his name from
(00:58):
Terry Smith the third just one day earlier. An autopsy
later confirmed that toddler died from suffocation. Her name has
not been released. Prosecutors are awaiting toxicology and lab reports
to help determine exactly how and when the girl died.
Both Hawkins and Moser were arrested for child endangerment and
held in the Adams County Jail. Here is Sheriff Kenneth Dick.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Whether a true act or just an accident, we don't
know at this point, but the bottom line is a.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Two year old child's been lost and our prayers go
out to the family. At first, Hawkins was released, but
days later she was indicted by the grand jury. She
now faces eight charges murder, involuntary manslaughter, permitting child abuse,
and multiple counts of endangering children. Moser is charged with
ten offenses, including murder, involuntary manslaughter and eight counts of
(01:46):
child endangerment. The surviving children were taken to local hospitals
and placed in the care of Child Protective Services. Their
injuries were described as non life threatening. Prosecutors say they
are reviewing statements from both girls to learn how the
injury occurred. Moser had appeared in court just before the
child's death to finalize his legal name change. He told
(02:06):
a judge he wanted to leave behind the name Terry
Smith the third because it reminded him of relatives who
had caused him trauma. His new name, Brian Moser, matched
that of a fictional serial killer from the show Dexter.
That's a detail that prosecutors called quote an odd and
untimely coincidence. Judge Roy Gabbard said Moses bond at half
a million dollars and barred him from contacting Hawkins or
(02:28):
any children. He was due back in court today. More
charges may still be filed. More crime and justice news.
After this, a former private school teacher in Connecticut as
arrested for the fourth time after new claims he inappropriately
tickled a young student. Nicholas RITCHYARDI, aged forty seven, was
(02:52):
taken into custody by West Hartford Police. He now faces
four counts of risk of injury to a child and
two counts of breach of peace tie to incidents dating
back to twenty twenty three. Richardi has posted a total
of one hundred thirty five thousand dollars in bonds. He
was expected to appear in court today and also has
another court date in August. The most recent charge stems
(03:13):
from an incident at Solomon Schechter Day School in West Hartford,
where Richardy had been hired to teach first and second grade.
A mother told police her six year old daughter had
been quote inappropriately touched by her teacher multiple times. She
said Richardi tickled the girl quote around the belly button area.
The child later told her quote, mister Richardi is a
bad man and that he has hurt her. The school
(03:35):
placed Richardy on leave in December of last year. It
was the second time he had been removed from the
classroom over similar concerns. He never returned to campus and
is no longer employed by the school. Police reports show
that at least one teacher told investigators she saw Richardi
tickle children, but believe the contact was not sexual. Another
teacher reportedly told the girl's mother that Richardy had touched
(03:57):
his student's waistline and complimented that belt. The mother also
said she was warned about quote unquote red flags by
teachers who feared they might lose their jobs if they
spoke up. In January, Richardi was first arrested on charges
of risk of injury to a child and breach of peace.
He was taken into custody at his home in Manchester.
He later declined to speak with police, stating he would
(04:19):
quote plead the fifth. In June, police arrested Ritchiardi again
after an eight year old girl came forward. She said
Richardi had tickled her during snack time in the classroom
and described quote sneak attacks from behind. In April, Richardi
was also charged and windsor in connection with the twenty
twenty three incident at Saint Gabriel's School. A student there
(04:39):
said he tickled her neck, poked at a scar on
her shoulder, and once touched her chest. Police did not
believe the behavior was sexual, but said their daughter quote
broke down emotionally when she was describing what happened at
that school. Richardi stayed on staff until June of last year.
The Connecticut Department of Children and Families opened an investigation
after ter. A second parent came forward in December last year,
(05:02):
which led to the West Hartford Police launching a criminal case.
Rabbi Jonathan Berger, the head of Solomon Schechter School, wrote
to parents after Richiardi's first arrest. He said the teacher
had been told the tickling quote had to stop, and
had been directed not to return to school. Police are
asking anyone with information on possible other victims to contact
(05:22):
the West Hartford Police Department at eight six zero five
two three fifty two oh three. For the latest crime
and justice news, follow Crime Alert hourly update on your
favorite podcast app with this crime Alert. I'm Drew Nelson.
Crime Alert hourly update, breaking crime news Now.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
I'm Drew Nelson. A two year old girl is found
dead by suffocation inside an Ohio apartment, and her mother
and the mother's boyfriend are now charged with murder. Deputies
in Adams County responded to a nine to one to
one call just after nine am last Wednesday. Brian Moser,
aged twenty three, had called to report the child unresponsive.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
How old is she? She's two? Two year old? Yeah, bo,
she's all the way gone I don't know if they
suffocated last night or or what's going on. There's no
way that I don't know. I don't know if she's dead.
She welcome and found her.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
First responders arrived at the timber Ridge Apartments in West
Union and found the child not breathing. The attempted CPR,
but declared her dead there. The girl's two sisters, ages
one and five, were also found in the apartment. Both
had visible injuries. All three children were in the care
of their mother, twenty five year old Tian Hawkins and
her boyfriend Moser, who had legally changed his name from
(00:58):
Terry Smith the third just one day earlier. An autopsy
later confirmed that toddler died from suffocation. Her name has
not been released. Prosecutors are awaiting toxicology and lab reports
to help determine exactly how and when the girl died.
Both Hawkins and Moser were arrested for child endangerment and
held in the Adams County Jail. Here is Sheriff Kenneth Dick.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Whether a true act or just an accident, we don't
know at this point, but the bottom line is a.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
Two year old child's been lost and our prayers go
out to the family. At first, Hawkins was released, but
days later she was indicted by the grand jury. She
now faces eight charges murder, involuntary manslaughter, permitting child abuse,
and multiple counts of endangering children. Moser is charged with
ten offenses, including murder, involuntary manslaughter and eight counts of
(01:46):
child endangerment. The surviving children were taken to local hospitals
and placed in the care of Child Protective Services. Their
injuries were described as non life threatening. Prosecutors say they
are reviewing statements from both girls to learn how the
injury occurred. Moser had appeared in court just before the
child's death to finalize his legal name change. He told
(02:06):
a judge he wanted to leave behind the name Terry
Smith the third because it reminded him of relatives who
had caused him trauma. His new name, Brian Moser, matched
that of a fictional serial killer from the show Dexter.
That's a detail that prosecutors called quote an odd and
untimely coincidence. Judge Roy Gabbard said Moses bond at half
a million dollars and barred him from contacting Hawkins or
(02:28):
any children. He was due back in court today. More
charges may still be filed. More crime and justice news.
After this, a former private school teacher in Connecticut as
arrested for the fourth time after new claims he inappropriately
tickled a young student. Nicholas RITCHYARDI, aged forty seven, was
(02:52):
taken into custody by West Hartford Police. He now faces
four counts of risk of injury to a child and
two counts of breach of peace tie to incidents dating
back to twenty twenty three. Richardi has posted a total
of one hundred thirty five thousand dollars in bonds. He
was expected to appear in court today and also has
another court date in August. The most recent charge stems
(03:13):
from an incident at Solomon Schechter Day School in West Hartford,
where Richardy had been hired to teach first and second grade.
A mother told police her six year old daughter had
been quote inappropriately touched by her teacher multiple times. She
said Richardi tickled the girl quote around the belly button area.
The child later told her quote, mister Richardi is a
bad man and that he has hurt her. The school
(03:35):
placed Richardy on leave in December of last year. It
was the second time he had been removed from the
classroom over similar concerns. He never returned to campus and
is no longer employed by the school. Police reports show
that at least one teacher told investigators she saw Richardi
tickle children, but believe the contact was not sexual. Another
teacher reportedly told the girl's mother that Richardy had touched
(03:57):
his student's waistline and complimented that belt. The mother also
said she was warned about quote unquote red flags by
teachers who feared they might lose their jobs if they
spoke up. In January, Richardi was first arrested on charges
of risk of injury to a child and breach of peace.
He was taken into custody at his home in Manchester.
He later declined to speak with police, stating he would
(04:19):
quote plead the fifth. In June, police arrested Ritchiardi again
after an eight year old girl came forward. She said
Richardi had tickled her during snack time in the classroom
and described quote sneak attacks from behind. In April, Richardi
was also charged and windsor in connection with the twenty
twenty three incident at Saint Gabriel's School. A student there
(04:39):
said he tickled her neck, poked at a scar on
her shoulder, and once touched her chest. Police did not
believe the behavior was sexual, but said their daughter quote
broke down emotionally when she was describing what happened at
that school. Richardi stayed on staff until June of last year.
The Connecticut Department of Children and Families opened an investigation
after ter. A second parent came forward in December last year,
(05:02):
which led to the West Hartford Police launching a criminal case.
Rabbi Jonathan Berger, the head of Solomon Schechter School, wrote
to parents after Richiardi's first arrest. He said the teacher
had been told the tickling quote had to stop, and
had been directed not to return to school. Police are
asking anyone with information on possible other victims to contact
(05:22):
the West Hartford Police Department at eight six zero five
two three fifty two oh three. For the latest crime
and justice news, follow Crime Alert hourly update on your
favorite podcast app with this crime Alert. I'm Drew Nelson.
Host
Nancy Grace
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