A dad who squeezed his son to death for crying because he worked 5 a.m. shift at McDonald’s will avoid homicide charges in a favorable plea deal.
As the Citizens Voice reports, Jeffery Blake Hutcheson, 24, of Nescopeck, Luzerne County, pleaded guilty to felony counts of aggravated assault and child endangerment -- counts that together carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in state prison.
Luzerne County Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr. accepted the plea deal Wednesday and set sentencing for March 31.
Meanwhile, District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce declined comment on the agreement to the Citizens Voice.
During a brief court hearing Wednesday, Assistant District Attorney Daniel Marsh said terms of the plea agreement included a stipulation that authorities will not prosecute Hutcheson any further for the offense, including by filing criminal homicide charges, the newspaper writes.
This is despite the fact that prosecutors said Hutcheson repeatedly squeezed Terran Jayce Hutcheson at the family home in August and September 2019 in a violent and misguided attempt to cease the baby’s crying so the dad could get some sleep for his early shift at McDonald’s.
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The child died at Berwick Hospital the morning of Sept. 28, 2019, the Citizens Voice reports, adding:
During questioning, Hutcheson told troopers he suffers from “rage blackouts” and that he squeezed the baby on several occasions when he couldn’t sleep, the newspaper writes. According to troopers, Hutcheson described the maneuver as a “bear hug” and that he used too much force.
All this because Hutcheson told police he worked a 5 a.m. shift at McDonald’s.
Hutcheson has remained jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility since the incident.