Man Beat His 1-month-old Son To Death And Will Now Head To Prison. He Said He Didn't Do It.

A man beat his newborn son to death, though he said he didn’t do it. Now, he could be free from prison in under two decades.

Recently, a judge in Ohio sentenced William Beasley to life in prison for the death of his 1-month-old baby, Zach, in 2020. However, Beasley will be parole eligible after 15 years.

A jury convicted Beasley of murder, three counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of endangering children, according to WKYC.

Police went to an apartment in Willoughby, Ohio, on May 22, 2020, after Beasley called 911 to say the baby was having trouble breathing, WKYC reported. The newborn was taken to the hospital but died a week later.

Doctors said there were signs of child abuse, and a coroner ruled the death homicide, WKYC reported. Beasley was arrested nearly a year later.

At trial, experts said the child had been brutally beaten at least five different times, according to WOIO. The bay died of trauma to the head.

Beasley was offered a plea deal on separate occasions and rejected them each time. Instead, he decided to take his chances at a trial, and a jury convicted him. Even during a sentencing hearing, Beasley maintained he was innocent of killing his son.

“What I was not preparing for was the day, instead of holding Zach, I would be wishing to hold him again, a day I hope no parent never needs to experience,” Beasley said, according to WOIO.

The child’s mother, Katelyn, spoke during the sentencing and detailed how Zach was no longer there because of Beasley’s actions.

“Instead of a rowdy health beautiful baby boy, he is ashes in a box, inside another box in the shape of a superman logo,” Katelyn said and WOIO reported.

She was also sure that Beasley was the killer, dismissing his innocence claim.

“You William Lee Beasley murdered Zachary William Beasley,” Katelyn said, the station reported, “You murdered your son.”