A 22-year-old Michigan man was sentenced for his first-degree child abuse and involuntary manslaughter conviction for drowning his girlfriend’s six-year-old special needs child.
Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Kathryn Viviano sentenced Hunter Locke-Hughes to 90 months to 30 years on the first-degree child abuse conviction, which was 45 months below the sentencing guidelines.
On the involuntary manslaughter conviction, Judge Viviano sentenced him to the low end of the sentencing guidelines at 43 months—15 years.
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The sentences will run concurrently. The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office is appealing the sentence.”
“When a sentencing fails to reflect the gravity of the offense, we must appeal it on behalf of the victim, victim’s family, and the community,” said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido.
Locke-Hughes, who was 19 years old at the time, held the victim underwater after becoming irritated with the youngster for reportedly misbehaving during his bath and vomiting after his mother left.
According to the Macomb Daily, an autopsy revealed the youngster had 15 to 20 marks on his head, shoulder blades, back, and around his buttocks. Investigators believe Adams attempted to survive the drowning based on the bruises on his head.
In an interview with police, Locke-Hughes admitted to pushing Adams’ shoulders and holding him underwater, but he insisted on keeping the child’s head above water with his fingers, according to the Macomb Daily.
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Locke-Hughes reportedly claimed the youngster died while he was on the phone with Adams’ mother after removing him from the water due to feces. According to the Macomb Daily, prosecutors claimed the youngster drowned prior to the call, and evidence showed the defendant was upset while on the phone.
Locke-Hughes contacted 911, and officials discovered a huge amount of excrement in the bathtub, most likely as a result of the body’s response to death.
Furthermore, the medical examiner testified in court and reportedly stated that the youngster was likely dead by the time paramedics arrived due to the difficulty of opening his clenched jaw.
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