Updated at 1:38 p.m., Monday, April 2, 2007
Father sentenced to 20 years in death of infant son
Advertiser Staff
A 51-year-old man was sentenced today to a maximum 20-year prison term for manslaughter in the death of his 3-month-old son.Lionel Letoto was originally charged with murdering his son Noah Williams at their Pensacola Street apartment Nov. 6, 2005.
But as a result of a plea agreement, Letoto pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter for recklessly killing the infant, and agreed to the 20-year term.
Circuit Judge Patrick Border imposed the sentence as a result of the agreement.
Prosecutors said Letoto, who was unemployed at the time, had placed pillows and a comforter on the boy, who was lying face down on another comforter, because the son had been crying. When Letoto woke from a nap, he found his son unresponsive, prosecutors said.
The boy, 3 months and 20 days old, died from asphyxiation, according to the city Medical Examiner's office.
The murder charge had carried a life term with parole.
