'Vicious Beating': LI Man Who Assaulted Toddler Goes To Prison: DA

HUNTINGTON STATION, NY — A Long Island man was sentenced to over two decades in prison on Thursday, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney.

A Huntington Station man, whose identity is being withheld to protect the child, 33, was sentenced to 23 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of assault and related charges for beating his girlfriend’s two-year-old daughter so badly that she needed surgery to repair her small intestine, the DA said.

"Suffolk will not tolerate violence against children," Tierney said. "I thank the jury for holding the defendant accountable for this vicious beating of a toddler."

According to evidence established, between Feb. 17 and Feb. 19, 2024, the man was babysitting his girlfriend’s two-year-old daughter while she went to work and ran errands.

When the mother returned home on Feb. 18, she noticed significant bruises on the child’s body, and on Feb. 19, the little girl had a new, significant bruise on her face, was vomiting profusely and couldn't stand or respond to her, the DA said.

The DA said the mother brought the little girl to the emergency room at Huntington Hospital, where it was determined that the child was in critical condition.

The child was then transferred to Cohen Children’s Medical Center, where she received emergency surgery to repair a life-threatening injury to her small intestine, which was caused by significant blunt force trauma, the DA said.

On Feb. 28, the man was convicted after a jury trial heard before Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei for first-degree assault, a Class B violent felony; two counts of second-degree assault, Class D violent felonies, and endangering the welfare of a child, a Class A misdemeanor, the DA said.

On Friday, he was sentenced to 23 years in prison, followed by 5 years of post-release supervision, the DA said.

He was represented by Matthew Tuohy, who said it was a "very tough case. He's going to appeal."