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Christopher Lashun Richmond faces 26 years to life in prison in the death of his seven-week-old baby 

SOUTH PASADENA, CA - Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced that Christopher Lashun Richmond was convicted by a jury on October 7 in the death of his seven-week-old baby and injuring the child’s mother. Richmond faces 26 years to life in state prison.

“The death of this defenseless baby is unconscionable and one of the most heinous crimes an individual can commit,” District Attorney Gascón said. “Mothers and their children deserve our protection as some of the most vulnerable members of our society. I extend my gratitude to Deputy District Attorneys Jonathan Hatami and Brian Rosenberg for their tireless pursuit of justice for this innocent child and his loved ones. We will continue to fight for children and victims of domestic violence to ensure perpetrators of these horrific crimes are held accountable.”

Christopher Lashun Richmond (DOB 10/19/92) was charged in October 2023 in case GA114804 with one count of murder; one count of assault on a child causing death; one count of injuring a spouse, cohabitant, fiancé, boyfriend, girlfriend, or child’s parent; and one count of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury.

A jury deliberated for nine hours before finding Richmond guilty of one count of assault on a child causing death and one count of injuring a spouse, cohabitant, fiancé, boyfriend, girlfriend, or child’s parent. The jury found Richmond not guilty of assaulting his partner by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury. The jury was deadlocked 11-1 against the defendant in the murder charge.

On or about April 3, 2022, Richmond pushed the baby’s mother to the ground during her pregnancy, willfully inflicting a bodily injury.

On or about September 25, 2022, Richmond was in sole care of his 7-week-old son when he deprived the infant of oxygen, causing him to go into cardiac arrest. Law enforcement and paramedics responded to an emergency call and found the baby unconscious and not breathing. The baby was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries. Life support was removed on February 17, 2023, and the baby was pronounced dead on that date.

Richmond is expected to be sentenced December 13 to 26 years to life in state prison. The hearing will take place in Dept. F of the Pasadena Courthouse.

The case was prosecuted by LADA’s Complex Child Abuse Section and investigated by the Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department Homicide Bureau and the South Pasadena Police Department.

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