Charges Against Hampton Stepfather Upgraded to Manslaughter

HAMPTON, NH — A local man arrested last year after the death of his stepson has been indicted on a manslaughter charge, according to Hampton Police. Leo Witham, 31, was arrested last year for endangering the welfare of a child for purposely violating a duty to care, possession of a controlled drug, and falsifying physical evidence, after an investigation into the death of a child on Ashworth Avenue in October 2016.

Editor’s Note: This post was derived from information supplied by the Hampton Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction. This link explains the name removal request process for NH Patch police reports.

At the time, the cause of death of Bradyn J. M. Brewer was not determined, but Witham was arrested on numerous charges as part of the police department’s investigation into the unattended death of the then-19-month-old. Press reports at the time speculated that Witham allegedly left fentanyl near the toddler before his death on Oct. 5.

On March 8, according to Hampton Deputy Chief David Hobbs, Witham was indicted on a manslaughter charge out of Rockingham County Superior Court. In January, he was indicted on the drug, endangerment, and evidence charges.

Hobbs noted that the investigation was still ongoing and anyone with information about the case should contact Hampton Police at 603-929-4444 or the Crimeline for the Hamptons at tipsubmitt.com and then, select “Hamptons” as the region. Texts can also be sent to CRIMES (274637) with the keyword “Hamptons.”