According to investigators, last week, the 8-year-old son of a former Boston Red Sox star was killed by his father who then died by suicide.
PEOPLE was informed by the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office. Last Friday morning, George Scott III, the son of former Red Sox first baseman George “Boomer” Scott, was discovered deceased in his residence alongside his young son Dante Hazard. The family resided in New Bedford, Massachusetts, located approximately an hour to the south of Boston.
According to a statement from district attorney spokesperson Gregg Miliote, Scott III, aged 54, took the life of the boy using a sharp object and then proceeded to take his own life.
On Friday, police conducted a welfare check at the residence of Scott III, 54, after a family member was unable to contact him, causing worry.
According to Miliote, a search warrant was executed by the police at the house 2.5 weeks ago. The search was conducted to gather clues related to the disappearance of the boy’s mother, who went missing in 2019 at the age of 28.
According to Miliote, Mr. Scott is currently a person of interest in the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Ms. Hazard.
According to The Boston Globe, on Friday, the news left neighbors in a state of shock.
According to the newspaper, neighbor Courtney Columbo expressed surprise, stating “I was not expecting this.” The speaker expressed sympathy for the boy, stating that they believed he did not deserve the treatment he received.
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According to Columbo, a 34-year-old individual, Scott III appeared to be a pleasant person based on their limited interactions. According to a neighbor, Dante was occasionally seen playing outside, but it was unclear whether he lived at the residence because he wasn’t always visible.
In 1970, Boston Red Sox first baseman George Scott was spotted with his one-year-old son, George Scott Jr. Additionally, George Scott III was also present in the same photograph alongside his father and brother.
In a photograph credited to Dan Goshtigian of The Boston Globe via Getty Images, a visual representation of the subject matter is captured.
According to John Reis, a neighbor, the news was “just so sad.”
The 71-year-old neighbor questioned, “How can you take an 8-year-old’s life?”
According to the Globe, it was reported that Scott III had previously played for the Red Sox in their minor league system. The elder Scott, who happens to be his father, has been inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame.
During the 1960s and 1970s, he achieved the status of a three-time All Star and eight-time Gold Glove winner. The player in question had two stints with the Red Sox – the first from 1966 to 1971 and the second from 1977 to 1979.