Marc Carrier
A judge in Missouri ordered a 31-year-old man to spend the rest of his life behind bars for murdering an infant that was under his care. Circuit Court Judge Thomas Mountjoy on Friday handed down the maximum sentence of life in prison to Marc Carrier for the 2019 death of his sister’s 7-month-old baby, whose body was “cold to the touch” by the time he called for medical assistance, the Springfield News-Leader reported.
Carrier in August 2021 pleaded guilty to one count of abuse or neglect of a child resulting in the child’s death and one count of second-degree felony murder. His sentencing hearing had reportedly been postponed multiple times because his attorney sought to have an expert witness testify at the proceeding.
During Friday’s hearing, prosecutors reportedly asked Judge Mountjoy to impose a life sentence; Carrier’s attorney sought for a sentence of 10 years.
According to court documents obtained by the News-Leader, Emergency Medical Services personnel and police on the afternoon of Aug. 23, 2019 responded to a 911 call in regard to an unresponsive baby at a home in Springfield. Upon arriving at the residence, first responders reportedly said they found the infant “not breathing and cold to the touch” and described the baby’s lips and ears as having a “blueish tint,” per Springfield NBC affiliate KYTV.
EMS medics reportedly attempted to perform life-saving measures on the infant but were unable to resuscitate the baby, who was pronounced dead on the scene.
Carrier reportedly lived in his sister’s home with four children under the age of six. Carrier was babysitting the children while his sister was at work when the baby sustained the deadly injuries. When questioned about the injuries, Carrier reportedly told investigators that he had accidentally dropped the infant on its head earlier in the day as he was attempting to get the baby out of a swing. He then reportedly explained that when he was picking the child up, he accidentally “shoved the baby to the ground,” per KYTV. He reportedly claimed that the incident was an accident and he never realized he was injuring the baby.
An autopsy was performed and the medical examiner reportedly determined that the baby’s death was a homicide and the injuries were consistent with the infant being shaken to death.
The medical examiner who performed the autopsy on the child testified on behalf of the prosecution. A pediatrician with expertise in child abuse was called by Carrier’s attorney during the sentencing hearing Friday.
Carrier and his mother — the victim’s grandmother — both reportedly spoke on his behalf and asked Judge Mountjoy for a lenient sentence.
Carrier’s sister — the victim’s mother — penned a victim impact statement which was read aloud by prosecutors. She reportedly asked the court to send her brother to prison for life.
[image via Greene County Jail]
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