Death penalty sought for Smith Township father accused of killing infant
The Smith Township father accused of shaking his infant son, causing fatal injuries to the child, could face the death penalty if he’s convicted of first-degree murder.
Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh announced during Thursday’s formal arraignment for Joshua Wayne George that he would seek the death penalty in the killing of 6-month-old Oliver George.
Walsh said he found two aggravating factors in the child’s death, including that the victim’s age was less than 12 and the killing was allegedly committed in the commission of another felony.
George, 30, is accused of assaulting Oliver inside his residence at 46 Francis Mine Road near Burgettstown on Dec. 30 before dropping the child off to be watched by the maternal grandparents. Oliver appeared lethargic and was acting strangely before he vomited and his arms and legs began turning purple, investigators said.
The boy was rushed to Weirton (W.Va.) Medical Center before he was flown by medical helicopter to UPMC Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he died Jan. 3. Oliver suffered a skull fracture, hemorrhaging and bruises consistent with being shaken, according to testimony at George’s preliminary hearing in March.
The boy’s mother, Caitlin Riffle, testified at the preliminary hearing that Oliver appeared fine before she left for work the morning of Dec. 30, and that she suspected George had injured the child by how he was acting at the hospital. Riffle’s uncle, Michael Welch, also testified at that hearing that George mentioned during a conversation the two men had the night before that he told Oliver he was going to “shake him” because the baby was not sleeping through the night.
George was arrested by Smith Township police Feb. 25 and charged with criminal homicide and reckless endangerment, along with three counts of aggravated assault.
Numerous relatives for both Riffle and George attended the formal arraignment at the Washington County Courthouse before President Judge John DiSalle. George is being held without bond at the Washington County jail.
This is the fifth homicide case in which Walsh has announced his intention to seek the death penalty against a defendant since he was elevated to district attorney in August following the death of Gene Vittone.