Cary Man Gets Prison Time In Shaken Baby Case

CARY, IL — A 22-year-old Cary man has entered a guilty plea in a child abuse case.

Tristan Johnson, of the 0 to 100 block of Linden Court, pleaded guilty to aggravated battery/great bodily harm of a child under 13 years old on Tuesday and has been sentenced to four years in prison, according to online court records. Two additional counts of aggravated battery were dismissed during the sentencing hearing.

Johnson caused injuries to a one-month-old child between June 15 and June 22, 2023, according to a criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court.

The child was taken to the hospital after Johnson's "reckless actions" ended up fracturing the baby's arm. He is also accused of holding the baby around his torso and rocking the baby side to side in an "aggressive manner," without supporting the child's neck or head, according to the criminal complaint.

This led to an injury of the child's head and brain, authorities said. The baby then began having seizures from the injuries and was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit for treatment of a subdural hematoma.

Johnson was arrested on July 28, 2023, following an investigation by the Cary Police Department. In addition to the prison sentence, Johnson has been ordered to pay $649 in fines.