An Annapolis man was charged with first-degree murder this week in the death of a 2-year-old boy whom he threw into a couch, police said.
William Warren Boyd, 36, is charged with first-degree murder, child abuse, assault and reckless endangerment in the death of his girlfriend’s nephew, Cyrus Besche, Annapolis police said.
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The state medical examiner ruled the boy’s death a homicide Wednesday, police said, and Boyd was served with an arrest warrant at the Anne Arundel Detention Center, where he was being held on unrelated charges.
Police said Cyrus was unconscious when officers arrived about 5:45 p.m. Dec. 7 at a residence in the 400 block of Captain’s Circle.
Paramedics took Cyrus to a local hospital before transferring him to the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore, where he died Dec. 10 from the injuries he sustained from being thrown into a couch, police said.
The boy’s untimely death prompted family and friends to create an online memorial in his honor.
“Cyrus was nothing less then a pure joy to have around and is missed more then words could ever say,” his maternal grandmother, Virginia Ferron, wrote on findagrave.com.
“His death is very tragic and unjust. It has been very hard on our family.”
Cyrus’ mother and father, Crystal Ferron and Tyler Besche, both of Annapolis, could not be reached for comment.
Court records indicate Boyd has an extensive criminal record, including multiple theft charges and a 2005 burglary conviction, for which he was sentenced to 18 months in jail, followed by five years of probation.
Boyd was still on probation at the time of Cyrus’ death and is scheduled to appear in court next month for violating the probation terms, according to court records.
A trial date has not been scheduled.
Boyd, who could face up to life in prison, is being held without bond at the Anne Arundel Detention Center.
