On September 25, 2022, Christopher Richmond called 911 to report that his 7-week-old son, Cash, had stopped breathing while being fed a bottle of milk at their home on the 300 block of Grace Drive in South Pasadena, California. Richmond had been left to care for the child while the baby's mother was at work. The infant was unresponsive and was airlifted to the hospital, where he remained in critical condition on life support for approximately four months before dying on February 17, 2023, at six months and 15 days old. An autopsy determined the cause of death was multiple blunt traumatic injuries. Medical examination also revealed evidence of two prior incidents of broken ribs, a broken leg, and a cervical fracture described as having been caused by shaking. Richmond was arrested four days after the initial hospitalization and was subsequently charged with murder and assault on a child causing death.
Contexts/Conditions
Is there any mention of child drug ingestion or overdose?
Is there any mention of a drowning incident (either intentional or accidental)?
Is there any mention of a firearm incident?
Is there any mention of inappropriate supervision (e.g., child wandered off and drowned)?
Is there any mention of inflicted injury? (e.g. slapped, punched, kicked, choked)
Document 2 (Pasadena Now) states the autopsy determined the boy died of "multiple blunt traumatic injuries." The prosecutor stated that the boy had suffered "broken ribs" in "two prior incidents," a "broken leg," and "a cervical fracture in which he was 'shaken to the point of breaking his neck.'" The prosecutor also described Richmond as "allegedly suffocating his newborn son." Document 1 (KTLA) describes the infant as having suffered "severe abuse."
Is there any mention of malnutrition, starvation, or dehydration?
Is there any mention of medical neglect?
Is there any mention of a motor vehicle crash or incident?
Is there any mention of a murder-suicide incident?
Is there any mention of outdoor elements (including hot car deaths)?
Is there any mention of prenatal substance exposure (including fetal alcohol syndrome or neonatal abstinence syndrome)?
Is there any mention of sexual abuse?
Is there any specific mention of shaken baby or abusive head trauma?
Document 2 (Pasadena Now) explicitly states the child had "a cervical fracture in which he was 'shaken to the point of breaking his neck.'" This directly describes shaken baby trauma.
Is there any mention of prolonged abuse or torture (including restraints, captivity)?
Is there any mention of an unsafe sleeping environment?
Individuals Involved
Was an adoptive parent or guardian involved in the death?
Was a biological father involved in the death?
Document 2 (Pasadena Now) identifies Christopher Richmond as the child's biological father, stating the charges involve "his son, Cash." Richmond is charged with murder and assault on a child causing death. The defense attorney also refers to him as "a first-time father."
Was a biological mother involved in the death?
Was a day care worker, babysitter, or nanny involved in the death?
Was a female paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., girlfriend, stepmother)?
Was a foster parent involved in the death?
Was a male paramour or friend involved in the death (e.g., boyfriend, stepfather)?
Was another adult relative involved in the death? (e.g., grandfather, aunt)
Was a sibling involved in the death?
Child Characteristics
Was the child adopted?
Was the child homeschooled (including "cyberschooling") or taken out of school?
Was the child in foster care at the time of the incident?
Was the child living with relatives at the time of the incident (but not parents)?
Is there any mention of a neurological developmental child disability? (e.g., autism, intellectual disability, nonverbal)
Is there any mention of a physical child disability? (e.g., feeding tube)
Is there any mention of prematurity or low birthweight?
Is there a history of child protection reports prior to death (for this child or siblings)?
Does the child have a history of foster care (but not in care at time of incident)?
Is there a history of a sibling death (separate incident from this death)?
Parent/Caregiver Factors
Was an adult charged or arrested for the child's death?
Document 1 (KTLA) states "Christopher Richmond, 30, was arrested on suspicion of child abuse" and that detectives are working to "amend Richmond's case to include a murder charge." Document 2 (Pasadena Now) states "Christopher Richmond, 31, is charged with one count each of murder and assault on a child causing death involving his son, Cash." He was arrested and charged.
Is domestic violence by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Document 2 (Pasadena Now) states that Richmond is charged with "one count each of domestic battery with injury and assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury involving the baby's mother in August 2021 and April 2022." These charges explicitly reference domestic violence by the parent/caregiver against the baby's mother in two separate incidents predating the child's death.
Is there any mention that the death occurred in a temporary shelter or while homeless?
Is an intellectual disability of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is the mental health of the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is a history of arrests or criminal charges for the parent/caregiver referenced?
Is substance use by the parent/caregiver referenced?
Notable Details
Several notable details emerge from the source text. Document 2 (Pasadena Now) reports that Richmond reportedly waited 15 to 20 minutes before calling 911 and subsequently lowered that estimate to five minutes during a later custody hearing. Additionally, Richmond refused to go into his son's hospital room and "fought her efforts to end life support for the boy no matter what his prognosis was or what the doctors had recommended." The autopsy revealed evidence of two prior separate incidents involving broken ribs in addition to a broken leg and cervical fracture, strongly suggesting a pattern of repeated physical abuse of the infant prior to the fatal incident. Richmond was also charged with domestic battery with injury against the baby's mother in incidents from August 2021 and April 2022, establishing a broader pattern of violence in the household predating the child's birth and death.
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