Parents of infant killed by dogs in northwest Rochester facing manslaughter charges

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – The parents of the 3-month-old mauled by two dogs earlier this month have been arrested.

Anastasia Weaver and Sulamain Hawkins Sr., both 19, have been charged with second-degree manslaughter. They will be arraigned Thursday in Rochester City Court.

The little boy, identified by police as Sulamain Hawkins Jr., was found severely injured on Aug. 3 at a Bidwell Terrace home. Both the Rochester Police and Rochester Fire Department responded to the call, rushing the baby to Strong Memorial Hospital, where he died.

Shortly after announcing his death, Rochester Police told News10NBC that the baby was left alone.

Police reported Wednesday that the parents had spent the night in the unfinished attic of the multi-family home on Bidwell Terrace. they didn’t live there, but were associates of residents there and occasionally spent evenings there. On Aug. 3, in the late morning or early afternoon, they left Sulamain Jr. sleeping in the floor in the attic, along with two pit bull-type dogs, and went down to the second floor to smoke marijuana, police said. When they returned to the attic, they found the child unresponsive from the dog attack, police said.

Child Protective Services, RPD, and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office have been investigating since the baby’s death.

The pit bull-type dogs were removed from the home after the child’s death. They were being held at the city animal shelter until the investigation was over and a court order was granted to put them down.

A City of Rochester spokeswoman says they have been euthanized.