A Buffalo man faces a manslaughter charge in connection with the death of his girlfriend’s toddler.
Bashar Hall, 23, of Buffalo’s Kaisertown neighborhood was arrested Tuesday evening on a charge of first degree manslaughter. Buffalo police responded to a 911 call from Hall’s home at 47 Weaver Street just before 2:40 p.m. The two-and-a-half year old son of Hall’s girlfriend’s had allegedly been shaken and beaten. The boy was taken to Oishei Children’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Erie County District Attorney John Flynn couldn’t go in to much detail about the case during a meeting with reporters on Wednesday morning following Hall’s arraignment in Buffalo City Court.
“Right now, I don’t have the autopsy report done yet…I need to get the medical records from children’s hospital to determine the actual, not only cause of death, but the actual injuries that were involved here, as well,” said Flynn.
Once those records are available, Flynn says he’ll determine whether a charge of murder is appropriate. Right now, he has probable cause for the manslaughter charge, under a subsection of recklessness.
“There is a provision in the penal law under manslaughter in the first degree where if the perpetrator is above 18 years of age and the victim is below 11 years of age, then if one engages in reckless conduct that causes the death of that individual below 11 years of age, then you can charge this particular manslaughter in the first degree.”
Hall’s bail was set at $500,000 and a felony hearing is scheduled for July 23. If convicted of manslaughter, he faces between 5 and 25 years behind bars.
