Former Dover airman convicted in toddler’s death

(photo courtesy Dover Police)

(photo courtesy Dover Police)

A former airman who was caring for the 21-month-old son of another airman who was deployed to Qatar has been convicted in the child’s death.

Twenty-eight-year-old Justin Corbett was convicted of criminally negligent homicide Thursday. The News Journal of Wilmington reports that Corbett had been charged with first-degree murder by abuse or neglect in Evan Dudley’s death.

Authorities say Corbett, who was serving at Dover Air Force Base, was caring for Evan in November 2012 while the boy’s mother, also a Dover airman, was deployed. Police say Corbett called 911 to report that Evan was unresponsive after falling down stairs.

The boy died at a hospital. His death was ruled a homicide by blunt force trauma.

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Corbett faces up to eight years in prison at sentencing on Sept. 15.

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