ST. PAUL, Minn. — A southern Minnesota man has been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison for abusing two young children in his care, one of whom died.
On Wednesday, a Freeborn County court imposed a 25-year prison sentence on Austin Navarro, who had previously pleaded guilty. murder in the second degree and assault in the third degreeThe Public Prosecution Service reports this.
On the morning of July 6, 2023, Navarro punched and kicked two children – his then-girlfriend’s two-year-old child and his 12-week-old son – while they were in his care at a home in Albert Lea.
Both children were hospitalized. The 2-year-old victim died later that day from the injuries sustained. The child survived, but suffered several injuries to his head and body.
The toddler’s cause of death was determined to be multiple blunt force injuries and it was ruled a homicide.
When police arrived at the home, Navarro had left, according to court documents. An officer stopped him about nine blocks away. Navarro admitted he left because he was scared.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office prosecuted the case at the request of Freeborn County Attorney David Walker.
“My heart goes out to the victims of Austin Navarro, as well as their families. While nothing can undo the pain Navarro has caused, I hope Navarro’s sentencing can bring them some measure of comfort,” Ellison said in a statement . “My office will continue to work to improve public safety in our state by working with county attorneys and prosecuting criminals who pose a danger to their fellow Minnesotans.”
The court imposed a sentence five years longer than the guidelines for second-degree murder due to aggravating factors, including “Navarro’s position of authority over the child, the particularly vulnerable age of the victim and Navarro’s particular cruelty in inflicting the injuries,” according to the lawyer. the general’s office said.
Domestic Violence Resources: For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.
