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Canton man pleads guilty in death of 18-month-old son, will serve more than a decade in prison

Kevin Walker admitted to charges of involuntary manslaughter and endangering children. The child's mother is still facing murder charges.
Credit: Stark County Sheriff's Office
Kevin Walker

CANTON, Ohio — A 30-year-old Canton man has pleaded guilty to charges related to the death of his young son nearly a year ago.

Kevin Walker admitted to accusations of involuntary manslaughter and endangering children, according to the Stark County Courthouse. He will serve between 11 1/2 and 16 years in prison, and in exchange two other charges of murder and endangering children will be dropped.

Back on May 17, 2021, Canton police were called to the 1900 block of Maple Avenue Northeast "where a female was nude and walking on the sidewalk." The woman told the officers her son had been murdered, and after authorities entered her home via an unlocked window they found Kevin Walker Jr. unconscious under some furniture "with apparent severe head and body trauma."

Walker Jr. was later pronounced dead at Mercy Hospital while his mother, Mary Guarendi-Walker, was arrested and charged with killing him. Walker Sr. was also initially taken into custody on allegations of obstructing justice before he, too, was indicted on homicide charges.

Both defendants have been at the Stark County Jail since their respective arrests. The 25-year-old Guarendi-Walker is still facing charges of murder and endangering children and is currently being evaluated to see if she is competent to stand trial.

Credit: Stark County Sheriff's Office
Mary Guarendi-Walker

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