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Harford County Couple On Trial In Boy's Starvation

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Jan 19, 2008 8:13 am US/Eastern

Harford County Couple On Trial In Boy's Starvation

BEL AIR, Md. (AP) ― A Harford County couple is on trial for allegedly starving their 8-year-old adopted son to death.

Samuel Merryman, 40, and his 45-year-old wife Donna are charged with second-degree murder and first-degree child abuse in the death three years ago of their son Dennis.

The boy was one of four children adopted by the couple from an orphanage in Russia in 2000. At the time of his death, he weighed 37 pounds.

Family members told The (Baltimore) Sun in 2005 that the boy had medical problems, including cystic fibrosis, rickets and digestive problems.

The Merrymans have also been charged with abuse of their six other children.

The Merrymans are Sunday school teachers and home-schooled their children at their farm in Whiteford.

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