A man has been jailed for life without parole for murdering his girlfriend’s 18-month-old son.
Scott Jurewicz was sentenced in Detroit, Michigan, on Thursday, three years after killing Brenden Hartranft by violently shaking him and throwing him down in his Playpen in March 2015.
He was convicted of first degree murder and child abuse in November after a lengthy trial.
Jurewicz, 29, was dating Brenden’s mother Brooke when he killed her son.
Scott Jurewicz, 29, was jailed for life without parole on Thursday (above) for the 2015 murder of his girlfriend’s 18-month-old son
He had been trusted to put Brenden to bed but lashed out and after seven minutes out of the boy’s mother’s sight, he brought his unconscious body back to her at their home.
Brenden died in hospital from head and neck injures several days later.
It took several months for police to charge Jurewicz over Brenden’s death. In the weeks between it and his arraignment, the man began dating another single mother.
On May 21, a day before his arrest for Brenden’s death, the second woman’s son died while in Jurewicz’s care.
Jesse Pepper Jr. was found dead in his Playpen. He was 21-months-old and had been smothered to death.
He also had evidence of injuries on his back and his dead.
Jurewicz has not been charged in his death and jurors at his trial over Brenden’s killing were not allowed to know that it was considered a homicide.
Jesse’s mother Andrea Conaway has also been questioned over his death but no one has been arrested or charged with it.
Jurewicz gave 18-month-old Brenden Hartranft a ‘good shake’ as he put him to bed on March 17 2015. The child fell unconscious and died in hospital days later
Jurewicz was dating Brenden’s mother Brooke when he killed the boy in his room
On Thursday, the judge sentencing Jurewicz told him: ‘I think you’re a psychopath.
‘You affected so many lives. Seeing your complete lack of conscience, I don’t think you’ll do well in prison.
‘Your mother, if she wants to see you, can see you in prison. Brenden’s family don’t have that option.
Jurewicz denied murdering the boy throughout his trial. His attorney said he would appeal his conviction.
Another baby, 21-month-old Jesse Pepper Jr, died in his Playpen while Jurewicz was in the house two months after Brenden’s death. Jurewicz was dating Jesse Pepper Jr’s mother. The baby died in his Playpen and he had been smothered. He is pictured with his father. No one has been arrested over his death
On Thursday, Jurewicz was labeled a ‘psychopath’ by the Detroit judge who jailed him
He has also denied having any role in the other boy’s death.
Brenden’s mother did not speak at the sentencing hearing, which Michigan Live attended, but her mother did.
She told her grandson’s killer: ‘You didn’t just kill a child, you destroyed everyone’s life.
‘I hope you can never forget his name. You have blood on your hands.
‘I wish I could put a photo of Brenden in your cell so you would never forget what you did to him.’