A North Carolina father served prison time for shaking his baby, causing permanent injuries. Now, he’s accused of murdering his other child, 10 years later.
Police arrested 33-year-old Sterling Cummings Monday in connection with the May 2021 death of his son, three-month-old Waylon.
He was apparently babysitting while the boy’s mother went out to get groceries. When she returned, she says, the baby had not been given the bottle she prepared and he was not breathing.
A neighbor performed CPR while she called 911. Waylon was rushed to the hospital, where doctors said he was suffering from retinal hemorrhaging (bleeding in the eye’s retina) and had an abnormal MRI.
Police said Cummings provided inconsistent statements about what happened, and called the scene “suspicious.” The baby eventually died from his injuries. His death was ruled a homicide.
Cummings is charged with first-degree murder and felony child abuse. It’s the second time he has faced a child abuse charge.
In August 2012, he was living with his girlfriend and their son, Andy, who was about three weeks old. The baby was taken to the hospital after being shaken by Cummings.
The incident caused permanent brain damage, leaving the child blind and suffering from cerebral palsy. Andy’s mother was also charged, but never prosecuted.
Tracy and Allan Trepcyk, who adopted Andy as well as another one of Cummings’ children, attended his first court appearance Tuesday.
“We tried to tell everybody that he was going to do this again,” Tracy said.
Cummings pleaded guilty to felony child abuse inflicting serious injury in 2013. He was given credit for 20 days in jail and received 60 months of supervised probation.
According to court documents, Cummings also has pending charges of assault on a female stemming from a 2022 incident. He’s being held without bond.
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