A Kentucky man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the 2015 beating death of his ex-girlfriend’s seven-week-old son.
Cody Jene Phelps, 25, of Walton pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of first-degree manslaughter and first-degree criminal abuse in the death of Aiden Wainscott.
Aiden was found unresponsive in his crib on November 5, 2015 while under the care of Phelps, the boyfriend of the baby’s mother, according to WCPO.
Cody Jene Phelps (left), 25, of Kentucky, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the 2015 beating death of his ex-girlfriend’s 7-week-old son, Aiden Wainscott (right)
Phelps was not the boy’s biological father.
A report from the Boone County Sheriff’s Department said Phelps told authorities that he’d noticed the baby’s chest wasn’t moving while changing the diaper.
Major Tom Scheben of the Boone County Sheriff’s Office said at the time that a medical examiner determined the baby’s cause of death was severe head trauma.
‘They did an autopsy on the child and determined that he had skull fractures and that’s what caused his death, and that a simple fall to the floor could not cause that much injury,’ Scheben told WCPO.
Phelps was arrested two days after the baby’s death, after investigators learned Aiden suffered head trauma and broken bones.
His grandmother, Sharon Phelps, told the station that she didn’t believe her grandson would hurt the child.
‘He’s a big teddy bear. He loved kids. He wanted to be the father to that child,’ she said shortly after her grandson was arrested in 2015.
Phelps will be sentenced on October 18. Prosecutors have recommended a 20-year prison sentence.
Phelps was arrested two days after the baby’s death, after authorities learned Aiden suffered head trauma. He will be sentenced on October 18. A 20-year prison sentence was recommended by prosecutors. Pictured is the home where the incident happened
His grandmother, Sharon Phelps (pictured) said she doesn’t believe that her grandson would hurt the child. ‘He’s a big teddy bear. He loved kids. He wanted to be the father to that child,’ she said shortly after her grandson was arrested in 2015