A Pennsylvania father will serve 15 to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to killing his 4-month-old son, according to authorities.
Tyler Sullivan, 31, was sentenced on Tuesday, August 27, after pleading guilty in May to third-degree murder and endangering the welfare of a child, according to a press statement from the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors claim Sullivan physically shook his 4-month-old baby at least twice on May 24, 2023, and six times in the weeks before.
That night, police officers arrived at a Bristol Borough, Pennsylvania, residence on a complaint of a baby in cardiac arrest and discovered the youngster “not breathing” and “cold to the touch,” according to the release. First responders administered CPR, and the baby was transported to Lower Bucks Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after midnight.
According to authorities, a doctor who evaluated the baby discovered many injuries, including contusions, bruising, and abrasions. The doctor described the injuries as those of a “battered child,” according to the announcement.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the baby’s mother stated during the sentence hearing that her son’s death had traumatized her and that she had dreams about that day.
“My baby deserved to live a long, happy, wonderful life,” the mother stated in the release.
Following her daughter’s death, the distraught mother launched a GoFundMe campaign. “This is something no parent would ever want to go through,” stated Grace Davis, the fundraiser organizer.
Sullivan stated being sentenced, confessing “how guilty and ashamed I am,” according to the prosecutor’s office.
“There is no denying that this is a tragedy from start to finish,” Judge Gary B. Gilman stated.
In addition to his sentence, Sullivan was ordered by the judge to receive mental health treatment.