Father found guilty in son's scalding death

LEBANON, Ohio -- (WXIX) -- A verdict has been reached in the case of a Warren County man whose 4-year-old son was scalded to death by his stepmother.

Robert Ritchie was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and child endangering on Friday.

Ritchie was tried three times in connection the March 2016 death of his son, Austin Cooper.

Prosecutor David Fornshell said Ritchie's wife, Anna, put the child in 135-degree water and held him there for 20-25 minutes, causing his eventual death, because she resented becoming his primary caregiver.

Ritchie knew his son was badly burned, but didn't check on him for 15 hours, according to prosecutors.

Fornshell has said Austin would likely be alive had he received medical treatment.

Judge Robert Peeler declared a mistrial in Ritchie's case in December of 2016, after the jury was unable to reach a verdict.