Man Convicted for Injecting His Son
- Share via
A father accused of injecting his 11-month-old son with HIV-tainted blood in order to avoid paying child support was convicted of first-degree assault. Jurors in St. Charles, Mo., returned their verdict against Brian Stewart, 32, of Columbia, Ill., after deliberating for about eight hours. They recommended life in prison, and sentencing was set for Jan. 8. The boy’s mother, identified only as Jennifer to protect the boy’s identity, wept briefly after the verdict was read. Prosecutors used circumstantial evidence to convince the jury that Stewart, who worked as a hospital technician at the time, stole HIV-infected blood from his workplace and injected it into the boy during a hospital visit in 1992. The boy, now 7, has AIDS. Prosecutor Ross Buehler called the injection a “death sentence” for the child.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
More From the Los Angeles Times
Podcasts
John Orr was a renowned fire investigator who was also a prolific arsonist, and whose thinly veiled novel helped to convict him. In this episode we hear from the fire captain who first suspected him—and from Orr himself.
Tom Girardi was a legal legend—until he was found guilty of stealing millions from his own clients. Host Madison McGhee and pop culture commentator Kiki Monique unpack how his downfall became a Real Housewives scandal, and what Erika Jayne may or may not have known. Plus, L.A. Times reporter Harriet Ryan joins to share how she helped bring Girardi’s crimes to light.
Sammy Roth visits America’s second-largest nuclear plant, Arizona’s Palo Verde Generating Station, and sits down with three experts to explore the pros and cons of atomic energy.
