Ritchie was set free on his own recognizance until the second trial.
MORE: Father to be re-tried in son’s scalding death
He is accused of not seeking medical treatment for his son Austin Cooper, who in March was held in a bathtub of scalding water by his stepmother, Anna Ritchie.
Prosecutors say Robert Ritchie did not check on his son for 15 hours after learning he had been burned severely by Anna Ritchie.
“We owe it to that boy (Austin) to retry this case,” Warren County Prosecutors David Fornshell said in December. “Under the circumstance of the allegations, it warrants another jury the chance to come to a decision.”
MORE: Robert Ritchie takes the stand in scalding death case
After talking with the jurors, defense attorney Frank Schiavone III said the split of the jury was six to acquit and six to convict.
Robert Ritchie and his parents were in court Thursday for the last pre-trial hearing in the case. Schiavone III said they are ready for trial.
Anna Ritchie is serving an 18 years to life sentence for Austin’s death after pleading guilty to murder.
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