CANTON, Ohio — A woman found walking naked in Canton Monday was later arrested and charged with the murder of her 18-month-old son after she told police he was killed inside her home, according to Chief Jack Angelo of the Canton Police Department. The child's father was also charged with murder.
Mary Guarendi-Walker, 24, and Kevin Walker, 29, both of Canton, were charged with murder, a first-degree felony, according to a news release from Canton police.
On Monday at about 5 p.m., officers responded to the 1900 block of Maple Avenue NE for an indecent exposure call. Officers located a woman, later identified as Guarendi-Walker, walking nude on the sidewalk.
Yolanda Jones, who lives across the street from the family, said throughout the day Monday, she heard Guarendi-Walker yelling loudly, first at her Amazon Echo device and then at the elder Walker.
Then, Jones said Guarendi-Walker came outside without any clothes on.
“It's all kinds of kids out here so everybody, all the kids seen and kids are pointing and talking like what is she doing,” Jones said.
Jones said she tried to convince Guarendi-Walker to go inside and put clothes on, but she refused.
Meanwhile, police got two 911 calls reporting the situation, and this isn't the first time they've been called to the Walker home.
Back on Jan. 25, Walker was arrested after a domestic violence call, and earlier Monday, Guarendi-Walker called police, telling them Walker had stolen her identity, but when they got there, she said she'd made a mistake.
When police showed up for the second time Monday, Guarendi-Walker told officers her son had been murdered inside their home on Maple Avenue NE.
Officers responded to the home and entered through an unlocked window where they found the 18-month-old victim, Kevin Walker Jr., beneath several large pieces of furniture.
"One of the officers was going through the furniture and they saw the child's leg under some of this furniture that was piled in the living room," Angelo said.
The child was unconscious, with apparent severe head and body trauma. He was pronounced dead at Mercy Medical Center.
"Here it is they come out with the baby. And he's just like lifeless," Jones said. "So that's when I started crying immediately because that just messed me up."
Police believe this was a domestic-related incident where Guarendi-Walker assaulted her child with several pieces of furniture.
"It’s sad to know a baby is gone for something just — it could have probably been solved. She might have needed, she probably was crying for help," Jones said.
Both Guarendi-Walker and Walker were booked into Stark County Jail. They're expected to make a court appearance Wednesday morning.
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