AKRON, Ohio — A 19-year-old man has been arrested for the murder of a 1-year-old child that occurred in Akron earlier this month.
On Tuesday afternoon, members of the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) arrested 19-year-old Ian Belcher, who was wanted by the Akron Police Department for aggravated murder.
Belcher's arrest comes five days after officers with the Akron Police Department responded to a residence in the 600 block of Hancock Avenue for a heart issue involving a child. Upon arrival, officers found an unresponsive 1-year-old child, who was taken to Akron Children’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The Summit County Medical Examiner identified the infant victim as 1-year-old Arteyon Cannon. An autopsy showed blunt force injuries, however the final report and cause of death are pending as investigators await further testing and investigative results.
After detectives interviewed several people and analyzed evidence in connection with the child's death, a homicide warrant for Ian Belcher was issued. Belcher was arrested while in a vehicle at the intersection of Gaylord Drive and Dawson Road in Akron.
“Outstanding investigative efforts by the Akron Police Department led to the identification of this suspect," U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott said in a statement. "Our team wasted no time pursuing this fugitive, arresting him within 24 hours of receiving the warrant."
Belcher has been charged with murder and is scheduled for an arraignment in Akron Municipal Court on Wednesday.
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