ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis man was sentenced to 46 months in prison in connection with an armed dispute over a toddler's death for which he is also facing charges.
Horatio Harris was sentenced in federal court Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to a press release from Sayler Fleming, the U.S. Attorney for the eastern district of Missouri, the charges stemmed from a Sept. 4, 2020, incident. The press release said a crowd of 15 to 20 people gathered outside Harris' home to confront him about the death of his stepdaughter's 2-year-old son.
Harris, a convicted felon, answered the door with a revolver in his hand and continued to hold it while he argued with his stepdaughters. His stepdaughters later fled in fear.
After he was indicted, Harris fled to Louisville, Kentucky, where he was arrested by U.S. Marshals.
Harris is facing a pending second-degree murder charge and three counts of child abuse in St. Louis Circuit Court related to the death of the two-year-old and the alleged abuse of that boy and his twin brother.
An autopsy determined the boy's death was due to blunt force trauma to his torso, according to the statement. He also had rib fractures and cuts and bruises to his head, torso, arms and legs.
Doctors examined the boy's twin brother the next day and found he had similar injuries and suffered from Battered Child Syndrome.
