Sentencing postponed for Springfield man who pleaded guilty in baby's death
The sentencing hearing for a Springfield man who pleaded guilty to abuse or neglect of a child that resulted in death, has been postponed.
Marc Carrier, 31, was scheduled to be sentenced on Friday after he pleaded guilty in August to the Class A child abuse felony following a 2019 incident where a 7-month-old baby suffered fatal injuries while under Carrier's supervision. But the hearing was pushed back at his attorney's request.
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Carrier’s lawyer asked for a continuance because an expert witness he would like to testify at the hearing was not available on Friday. Neither Judge Thomas Mountjoy nor prosecutors had a problem with postponing.
According to court documents, in August of 2019, officers were dispatched to a Springfield home where a baby was “not breathing and cold to the touch.” Although officers attempted life-saving measures, the baby was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to court documents, an autopsy showed the infant had brain injuries consistent with being shaken. Police were able to determine that Carrier had been caring for the child when the injuries likely occurred, and in an interview with investigators Carrier told police that he had dropped the baby when he was taking the child out of a swing.
According to court documents, Carrier told police that the incident was an accident and that he meant no harm to the child.
Court documents also indicate that at least four other children, all 6-years-old or younger, were in Carrier’s care at the time of the incident.
Carrier was arrested after the child's death and has been held without bond since his arrest in 2019.
Carrier is now scheduled to appear for sentencing on Jan. 7 at 2:30 p.m.
Jordan Meier covers public safety for the Springfield News-Leader. Contact her at jmeier@news-leader.com, (417) 597-7663 or on Twitter @Jordan_Meier644
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Sentencing postponed in Springfield case involving baby's death
