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Father facing murder charges for death of son

YOUNGSTOWN — Nicholas B. Tigges, of Redgate Lane in Austintown, was indicted Thursday on charges of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault and child endangering in the death of his 4-week-old son, Roger E. Wilson.

Tigges’ indictment alleges that he caused the child’s death April 25, though the death occurred in early June. Tigges, 34, is likely to be arraigned in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court within a couple of weeks. He is in the Mahoning County jail in lieu of $502,000 bond, jail records show.

Austintown police were called to Akron Children’s Hospital in Boardman on April 25 after a social worker called to report that the infant was brought in with five skull fractures, two brain bleeds, abdominal injuries, and thigh and knee bruising.

The hospital advised police the injuries were consistent with non-accidental trauma, according to a police report. The boy was transported to the main branch of Akron Children’s Hospital, where he died in early June.

The boy and his twin sister had routine doctor appointments earlier that day, where no injuries were noted. The girl never had injuries and was in the care of Mahoning County Children Services earlier this month, according to Caitlyn Andrews, county assistant prosecutor.

Tigges’ bond was set in Mahoning County Area Court in Austintown May 2, before the boy died. Tigges initially was charged with child endangering, a second-degree felony; felonious assault, a second-degree felony; and domestic violence, a first-degree misdemeanor. Tigges was booked into the Mahoning County jail April 30.

The mother of the twins, Kaitlynn Wilson, is charged with two counts of child endangering. One is a third-degree felony, which relates to neglect, and the other is a second-degree felony, which relates to abuse.

Her charges were bound over to a Mahoning County grand jury May 18. The grand jury has not yet acted on her case. She was released on bond May 20 and was permitted to see her children at the discretion of Akron Children’s Hospital.

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