Cleveland Heights Man Charged With Killing Teenage Son Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter, Sentenced

Christine Mays continues to mourn for her son and grandson.

One , and the other was sentenced for causing his death.

On Dec. 19, 35-year-old Christopher Mays was charged with killing his 16-year-old son, Adonis, after putting him in a chokehold. They were living with Christine at the time in her Cleveland Heights home.

Christopher Mays , but later pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and endangering children charges. He was sentenced on the involuntary manslaughter charge July 28, and received four years community control, a $1,000 fine and $20 monthly supervision fees, according to Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas records. He spent about eight months in prison.

According to court records, he will be under supervision of the adult probation department and must undergo drug testing, maintain employment, participate in an anger management course, receive a psychiatric evaluation and treatment if needed and abstain from alcohol.

“I think the court makes the best decision they can based on the information they have,” Christine said on a phone call on Wednesday. “My feeling on it, I do feel that it was, I’m very emotional about it. I feel very, very bad that my grandson’s life was taken.”

The court records state that the community control sanction "will adequately protect the public and will not demean the seriousness of the offense."

Christine said in December that she heard Adonis yell, "Get off me” the day he died.

Police said a fight between the father and son became physical. Christopher put his son in a headlock, and Adonis sustained his struggle.

When Christine went upstairs to check on her son and grandson, Christopher had left and Adonis was unresponsive in an upstairs bedroom, according to a press release from the .

"I have, my grandchild is down, I think he might possibly be unconscious," said Christine in the 9-11 call. "My grandchild, he was just wrestling with his dad and I think he might be out."

The took Adonis to , where he was pronounced dead, according to the press release. When Christopher Mays returned to the residence on Henderson, police arrested him.

Original charges included murder, felonious assault and domestic violence.

Christine Mays said Adonis had lived in her home with Christopher since March 2010, and he went to Shaw High School.

Christine and other family members insisted it was an accident. 

"I can't believe his father would have walked outside of the room thinking his son was not OK," Christine said in December. "Chris is not that kind of person. This is not someone who would intentionally hurt someone.

"He was crazy about Adonis and Adonis was crazy about him."

A spokesperson from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office could not be immediately reached for comment regarding the decision. Look for more details soon.