TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG/Gray News) – An Ohio woman is facing upgraded charges for her alleged role in the death of an 11-year-old girl who went missing on a boating trip.
A Lucas County grand jury indicted 41-year-old Kristen Gerrie on Wednesday on upgraded charges of involuntary manslaughter and endangering children, according to court records. Both charges are felonies.
Gerrie was previously charged with endangering children.
A grand jury indicted 41-year-old Kristen Gerrie on upgraded charges of involuntary manslaughter and endangering children.(Lucas County Corrections Center)
The charges stem from the death of Gerrie’s neighbor, 11-year-old Angelique Cunningham, who went missing from a boat in Lake Erie while she was reportedly in Gerrie’s care.
Investigators say Gerrie, Angelique and a third person, 38-year-old Jonathan Ciha, went for a boat ride around 10:30 p.m. July 1. Authorities would later find the bodies of Angelique and Ciha in the lake.
Angelique’s cause of death was determined to be drowning, and the manner of death was classified as an accident, according to the Lucas County deputy coroner. The coroner also ruled Ciha’s death an accidental drowning.
Angelique Cunningham, 11, went missing from a boat in Lake Erie while she was reportedly in her neighbor’s care. Her death was ruled an accidental drowning.(WTVG)
Lucas County Sheriff Mike Navarre says Angelique went missing from the boat less than 15 minutes after it left Meinke Marina in Jerusalem Township.
Authorities say Gerrie is the only person who knows what happened on the boat. They say she swam back to shore, called a friend for a ride and never called 911 or Angelique’s mother, who family members say was not even aware her daughter was going for a boat ride.
Gerrie posted bond earlier this month.
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