He faces trial in baby's death

The baby, his 20-month-old godson, would not stop crying and acting fussy during a bath, Aaron Pace told investigators.

His remedy to quiet little Suliaman Orrell-Kirkland on the afternoon of Feb. 2, however, only led to more wailing, peeling skin and - ultimately - death.

Yesterday, Pace, 33, of Logan, was held for trial for allegedly causing fatal burns to 25 percent of Suliaman's skin by rubbing Drano over his face and body.

The child died five days later, having suffered a "slow and painful death," Assistant District Attorney Christine Wechsler said during Pace's preliminary hearing.

After testimony from the first police officer to see the child at the hospital, from the homicide detective who interviewed Pace and from the assistant medical examiner who performed the autopsy, Judge James DeLeon ordered Pace to stand trial for murder.

Pace, a bearded, balding, stout man who is being held without bail, shook his head in disagreement several times during the hearing.

Others shook their heads in disbelief when a series of color photographs showing extensive, reddish burns over the child's face and body were displayed on a large projection screen.

Assistant Medical Examiner Gary Collins said the burns were not caused by accident, but by someone putting a chemical on the child.

The burns could not have been caused by the child sitting in hot bath water, he said, because his bottom, lower legs, feet and hands had no burns.

Suliaman was the son of Pace's childhood friend and neighbor, Quiatesha Kirkland, 27.

Pace, of 18th Street near Wingohocking, was babysitting at his home for Kirkland when he attempted to give the child a bath, according to his police statement read in court.

He first told homicide detectives that the baby had been burned by scalding bath water, then tried to blame the injuries on his (Pace's) own mother, Homicide Detective Jack Cummings testified.

Pace finally admitted that he had poured Drano on a wash rag and rubbed it over the child because he was fussing and would not cooperate with his attempts to bathe him.

Renee Kirkland Hinton, the child's maternal grandmother, said she and her family had forgiven him.

"My only request is that [there be] no death penalty, and that he suffer in jail," she said.