NORWICH – A Cincinnatus man has been charged with manslaughter in the death of a 16-month-old boy. The Chenango County Sheriff’s Department has arrested Jason Sherman, 24, Piety Hill, Cincinnatus, for first degree manslaughter (a Class B felony) and second degree assault (a Class D felony). Police allege Sherman caused the death of 16-month-old child, Marshal Lee Barber Jr.

On Nov. 10, 2006 at about 7 a.m., Sheriff’s deputies responded to 109 Loomis Lane in the Town of Pitcher to investigate the death of the infant Barber. The boy was discovered unresponsive in his bed and was taken to Chenango Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead by Emergency Room doctors.

“There was suspicion from the start. The child showed signs of abuse and the wound that ultimately ended his life was a mystery and could not be explained, so flags went up,” said Sheriff Thomas Loughren.

Police launched a full-scale investigation which included conducting an autopsy at Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton. The official cause of death was “blunt head trauma and asphyxiation.” The death was ruled a homicide.

Investigators say Sherman, who was the live-in boyfriend of the child’s mother, killed the infant by striking him. The assault caused a lethal head wound to the boy, who died hours later. Police also said they suspect a longer history of abuse because they discovered signs of older injuries on the toddler.