COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man suspected in the death of a one-year-old Maryland boy found inside a backpack in Big Walnut Creek in December allegedly beat the because he thought he was possessed by demons.
Online court records listed no attorney for Kurt Flood ahead of his Wednesday arraignment on charges of murder, felonious assault, endangering children, evidence tampering and abuse of a corpse.
Prosecutors say Flood, 24, apparently believed the boy, Cameron Beckford, had demons and beat the toddler to get rid of them.
Flood was charged after the toddler’s mother agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. The mother, Dainesha Stevens, had stayed with Flood at a home near where Cameron’s body was found Dec. 31.
Stevens, 25, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering last week. She’ll be sentenced later.