Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announces that 22-year-old Keona Owens and 23-year-old Bashar Hall of Buffalo have been arraigned before State Supreme Court Justice Russell P. Buscaglia on an indictment charging both defendants with one count of Murder in the Second Degree and one count of Manslaughter in the First Degree.

It is alleged that on July 17, 2018, both defendants injured 2 ½-year-old Xavion Hazzard at their home on Weaver Street in the City of Buffalo. The child later died from his injuries at John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital.

Both defendants were remanded without bail.

Owens and Hall are scheduled to return on Wednesday, November 7 at 11 a.m.

If convicted on the charges, Hall and Owens face a maximum of 25 years to life in prison.

Colleen Curtin Gable, Chief of the DA’s Homicide Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Bethany A. Solek of the DA’s Special Victims Bureau are prosecuting the case.

As are all persons accused of a crime, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.