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Boyfriend Facing Involuntary Manslaughter Charges for Toddler Death

JERSEY SHORE — A man is facing involuntary manslaughter charges after a child died in Lycoming County. Troopers say the boyfriend of the child’s mot...

JERSEY SHORE -- A man is facing involuntary manslaughter charges after a child died in Lycoming County.

Troopers say the boyfriend of the child's mother slammed the 18-month-old child head first onto the floor while the two were wrestling.

Court papers in Lycoming County say the man was carrying out a professional wrestling move with the child called "The Last Ride," but instead of slamming him on the bed, police say he missed and the boy hit the hardwood floor.

He died from injuries to his head.

Friends and neighbors say the man and little boy were playing around and the child's death was a horrible accident.

Troopers say Brandon Hoffman, 20, was, "recklessly wrestling playing" with his girlfriend's 18-month-old child when he slammed the child onto the floor. He now faces charges including involuntary manslaughter.

It all happened Tuesday at the apartment in Jersey Shore that they share with Hoffman's sister and her boyfriend Lonnie Stewart.

Stewart was home, but not in the same room when the child was hurt.

"He came to me like, 'I don't know what happened. I dropped him.' He was like real hysterical and everything," said the suspect's roommate Lonnie Stewart.

Hoffman told troopers he was looking after the child while the toddler's mother was at work.

"He was trying to resuscitate him, give him mouth to mouth and that's when I was first like, something is wrong."

Stewart drove Hoffman and the child to Jersey Shore Hospital. The child was then taken to Geisinger near Danville where he died.

Neighbors like Joanne Johnston are heartbroken.

"They are little, you know. Their bones are softer. They are little. You can't be doing that kind of stuff," Johnston said.

Hoffman's friends and family say he would never hurt the child intentionally. That's why they are calling the toddler's death a horrible accident.

"I'm thinking this is a dream and I want to wake up."

The past 24 hours have been a whirlwind for Hoffman's sister Angelina who says she's been there to comfort the child's mother.

"I even asked her like, I was like, 'Don't just lie to me because I'm his sister. Do you believe it was an accident?' She said, 'I do.' She said, 'I don't think he would do this on purpose. I know he wouldn't,'" Angelina Hoffman said.

An account has been set up to help with the child's funeral expenses. Click here for more information.

World Wrestling Entertainment released a statement Thursday.

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