Mother of slain toddler gets prison term

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The mother of a young boy brutally beaten to death by a former boyfriend was sentenced to prison on Wednesday in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court.

Judge Martin D. Burchfield sentenced Valarie Dean, 25, of Delphos, to eight years in prison on a charge of manslaughter, a felony of the first degree, and 30 months in prison on one count of endangering children, a third-degree felony offense, during a hearing held Wednesday.

Both sentences are to run concurrently to each other, and she was given credit for six days already served.

Dean’s 15-month-old son, Hayden Ivan Ridinger, was beaten to death by her then-boyfriend, Christopher Peters, on November 15, 2016. Peters was sentenced to life in prison without parole, and two eight-year sentences on lesser charges, on October 24, 2017.

Also Wednesday, six people were arraigned on grand jury indictments in Common Pleas Court.

Zachariah Germann, 30, of Van Wert, entered not guilty pleas to two counts of felonious assault, both felonies of the second degree. Judge Burchfield set a $20,000 cash/commercial surety bond in the case and scheduled a pretrial conference for 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 14, in the case.

Brendan Bergman, 22, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to one count of illegal conveyance of drugs onto the grounds of a specified government facility, a felony of the third degree. He was released on a personal surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. Wednesday, February 21.

Nicholas Hunter, 36, of Convoy, entered a not guilty plea to one count of violation of a civil protection order, a felony of the fifth degree. He was released on a personal surety bond, with the condition he have no contact with, and not be within 1,000 feet of, the alleged victim in the case. A pretrial conference was set for 8 a.m. Wednesday, February 28.

Erin Bowersox, 25, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to one count of aggravated possession of drugs, a felony of the fifth degree. She was released on a personal surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. February 28.

Lester Sulfridge Jr., 58, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to one count of aggravated possession of drugs, a felony of the fifth degree. He was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. February 28.

Douglas Scott, 66, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to two counts of theft, each a felony of the fifth degree. He was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 15.

Also Wednesday, three people appeared on charges they violated their probation.

Samantha Lacy, 25, of Van Wert, admitted to violating her probation by testing positive for drugs, by lying to her probation officer, and failing to complete drug court. She was sentenced to four years of community control under the same conditions as her previous probation term, with the addition of up to six months at the Western Ohio Regional Treatment and Habilitation (WORTH) Center in Lima.

Ashley Burk, 29, of Van Wert, admitted for violating her probation by testing positive for drugs. She was sentenced to 60 days in jail.

Adam Partin, 20, of Delphos, admitted he violated his probation by being arrested for another crime and failing to report to probation. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail, until he can be placed on electronically monitored house arrest (EMHA) on February 12, and then the remainder of the sentenced will be served on house arrest.

Johnathan Murphy Jr., 32, of Van Wert, changed his plea to guilty to a charge of trespass in a habitation, a felony of the fourth degree. He then requested, and was granted, intervention in lieu of conviction, and his case was stayed until he successfully completes a substance abuse treatment program.