The father of a four-year-old Ohio boy who died after his stepmother put him in a scalding bath has been sentenced to seven years in prison for involuntary manslaughter and child endangering.
Robert Ritchie, 32, was sentenced Tuesday in Warren County. Prosecutors say the Franklin man failed to get medical treatment that could have saved Austin Cooper’s life in March 2016.
Ritchie asked for mercy, telling the judge he wanted to become a pastor so he could share his faith.
Sheri Gredig, the Austin’s grandmother told him: ‘You’re destined for hell and the devil himself.’
Austin died in 2015, after his stepmom scalded him in 130-degree water. Prosecutors said that his father knew about the punishment, but didn’t get his son help.
Robert Ritchie, center, stands with his attorneys Frank Schiavone IV, left, and Frank Schiavone III, as he is sentenced to seven years in prison
Austin (right) died in 2015, after his stepmom scalded him in 130-degree water. Prosecutors said that his father (left) knew about the punishment, but didn’t get his son help
Anna Ritchie (pictured) is currently serving an 18 years to life in prison sentence after pleading guilty to several charges related to Austin’s death in September
She then dressed him in his pajamas and put him to bed. Prosecutors said Anna Ritchie, 25, carried out the punishment because she had grown to resent becoming the boy’s primary caregiver.
Ritchie wasn’t home when the punishment happened but knew that his wife had scalded his son in hot water, yet he didn’t check on his son for 15 hours.
She had put him to bed wearing pajamas and socks to cover his bleeding feet and burned skin. His arms had been cut where her fingernails had grasped him.
When Robert he returned home, as he was about to check on his son, Anna stopped him.
It wasn’t until the following morning that the boy was checked on, by which point he was dead.
Robert Ritchie, pictured left with son Austin Cooper, knew the child had been burned and was bleeding but waited 15 hours before he checked on the boy by which time he had died
Austin Cooper would have had a 95 percent chance of surviving if he had been hospitalized, prosecutors said
Doctors who testified during the trial said the boy suffered second- and third-degree burns to about 28 per cent of his body and that he died from hypovolemic shock from blood and fluid loss resulting from his burns.
The boy had been bleeding and had skin coming off his legs.
Authorities concluded he died of shock from blood and fluid loss resulting from his burns.
They said that if Austin had been taken to hospital, the boy likely would have survived.
Ritchie was convicted at his third trial after two mistrials and could have received up to 11 years in prison.
Ritchie’s attorney, Frank Schiavone III, argued Ritchie’s wife covered up her crime. Schiavone characterized Ritchie as another victim and ‘an abused man.’
During the first trial, Ritchie testified in his own defense, and said that his wife had been aggressive in punishing his son and that she was also aggressive with him.
Schiavone said Tuesday that they will appeal Ritchie’s conviction and sentence.
Anna Ritchie is currently serving an 18 years to life sentence after pleading guilty to several charges in September.