CHARLOTTE (AP) — A Charlotte man will spend at least 21 years in prison for killing his 4-month-old son.
The Charlotte Observer reports 34-year-old Christopher Durant was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to second-degree murder and felony child abuse.
Police say officers were called to a home in March 2011 by emergency workers who found Canell Jeremiah Durant unresponsive. He later died at a hospital, where doctors said the boy showed signs of physical abuse.
Prosecutors said Canell died from head injuries and had broken ribs. Assistant District Attorney Jay Ashendorf said Durant told police he had a bad temper and shook the boy several times to scare him so he would stop crying.
Durant later put the boy down for a nap but called 911 when Canell would not wake up.