Stepfather charged with ‘endangering’ welfare of Christopher Marks

Todd Combs, the stepfather of Christopher Marks, was charged Sept. 26 on seven separate counts of endangering the welfare of a child. The charges were related to activities that preceded the drowning death of Marks, 12, of Affton, who disappeared into the Meramec River on Aug. 7 after consuming alcohol provided by Combs on a family outing.

Marks body was discovered on Aug. 7 near the Pacific Palisades, two days after he went missing.

Toxicology reports could not confirm how much alcohol Marks had consumed.

In total, Combs has been charged with providing alcohol to seven minors, six of whom were 15 years old.

At a press conference on Sept. 27, Prosecuting Attorney said, “It’s disappointing that we can’t determine the full extent of what occurred,” Robert McCulloch said: “The death of this child was clearly caused by his (Comb’s) criminal conduct. Circumstances like this would warrant more serious charges, but we can only charge what we can prove.”

According to St. Louis County Police Chief Tim Fitch, county police investigators pieced together evidence from witnesses and surveillance videos inside stores where they say Combs purchased the alcohol.

Combs will appear in St. Louis County court on these charges on Nov. 1.