HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for severely beating his then-girlfriend’s 18-month-old son.

The Hartford Courant reports that 25-year-old Courtney King Saunders was sentenced Tuesday.

Prosecutors say Saunders was caring for the child in March 2016 when the boy suffered a head injury severe enough that he required brain surgery. Medical professionals say the child also had first- and second-degree burns from being placed in bath water that was too hot, more than 100 retinal hemorrhages and broken ribs. The head injuries were consistent with shaken-baby syndrome.

Saunders pleaded guilty last month to first-degree assault and third-degree assault on a pregnant woman.

The boy’s mother previously pleaded guilty to risk of injury to a minor and received a suspended prison sentence.

(Copyright (c) 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Join our Newsletter for the latest news right to your inbox