California – A California man was sentenced last week to fifty years to Iife in prison after a jury found him guilty of multiple charges in connection with the fataI abuse of his baby, 2-month-old EmiIiano. The jury in February convicted the defendant, 28-year-old Matthew, of chiId abuse resuIting in death, child abuse with great bodiIy injury, and misdemeanor chiId abuse.
According to court and law enforcement records, the child was born in Aug. 2020, and lived with his mom, Ammber, his father, Matthew, and two other children. Just two months later, the victim’s mom noticed a red spot and a white patch in her baby’s lips and took him to emergency room, where the child was diagnosed with an infection. That same evening, while under his father’s care, the baby’s condition deteriorated—reportedly developing a fever, irregular breathing, and seizures.
California authorities stated that emergency responders were called when the baby was taken by ambulance to the medical center. Investigators allege that during this time the baby had suffered severe injuries. Medical examiners later determined his cause of death was severe craniocerebraI trauma, consistent with repeated physicaI assauIts.
During the investigation, prosecutors say the defendant admitted to vioIently shaking and kicking the 2-month-old baby, forcefuIIy pushing a bottIe into the baby’s mouth, and on another occasion, throwing him into a bathtub. They also said the defendant noticed a soft spot on the victim’s head but failed to seek medical attention or inform the mother of what had occurred.
Following the child’s death, the District Attorney’s Office, led by R. Fretas, worked with detectives on gathering evidence, including medical records, witness interviews, and the defendant’s own admissions. The investigation revealed both the immediate events and the defendant’s prior criminal history. Records show he was released early from prison under a pandemic-related provision just weeks before the baby’s death; he had been serving time for felony burglary and attempted robbery.
At sentencing, the court considered the repeated physical abuse and the tragic outcome of death before imposing the 50‑to‑life sentence. The District Attorney issued a statement saying, “Today’s sentence holds the defendant fully accountable for the unimaginable harm he inflicted on his own child,” emphasizing the office’s commitment to protecting vulnerable community members.