Hudson Valley Father Who Killed Infant Gets Maximum Sentence
A Hudson Valley father who killed his 7-week-old son may spend the rest of his life in jail.
On Thursday in Orange County Court, Michael Heil, 27, of Middletown was sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison for murdering his 7-week-old infant son.
“The judge, following our strong recommendation, sentenced this defendant to the maximum sentence authorized under the law,” Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said in a press release. “There can be no more innocent a victim than an infant, and no greater crime than a father killing his own baby. The evidence in this case showed that Zachary Heil had suffered brutal injuries, which could only have been inflicted by his own father.”
In September, after a three week jury trial, Heil was found guilty on two-counts of murder and two counts of manslaughter.
In court prosecutors argued that on August 7, 2016, Heil slammed, severely shook or threw the baby, causing catastrophic head injuries.
The 7-week-old boy lived for about two weeks on life support before succumbing to his injuries.
According to prosecutors, Heil subjected his infant son to traumatic head injuries, while the infant’s mother was at work.
Prosecutors established, through electronic and social media evidence, Heil’s growing pattern of frustration over his child’s crying as a result of being diagnosed with colic.
At the trial, Heil argued that the infant’s mother injured the baby.
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