Pa. Man Shook 4-Month-Old Son at Least 8 Times, Leading to His Death

A Pennsylvania father will spend 15 to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to killing his 4-month-old son, authorities said.

Tyler Sullivan, 31, was sentenced on Tuesday, Aug. 27, after pleading guilty in May to third-degree murder and endangering the welfare of a child, according to a press release shared by the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office. 

Prosecutors said Sullivan violently shook his 4-month old son at least two times on May 24, 2023, and six other times in the weeks prior.

That night, police officers responded to a Bristol Borough, Pa., home on a report of a baby in cardiac arrest and found the infant “not breathing” and “cold to the touch,” the release states. First responders performed CPR and the baby was taken to Lower Bucks Hospital, where he was pronounced dead just after midnight.

According to prosecutors, a doctor who examined the baby noted he suffered several injuries, including contusions, bruising and abrasions. The doctor said that the injuries were indicative of a “battered child,” the release states.

At the sentencing hearing, the baby’s mother said her son’s death has left her traumatized and that she has nightmares about that day, according to the prosecutor’s office.

“My baby deserved to live a long, happy, wonderful life,” the mother said, per the release.

A GoFundMe campaign was created on behalf of the grieving mother in the wake of her daughter’s death. “This is something no parent would EVER want to go through,” fundraiser organizer Grace Davis wrote.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.    

Before being sentenced, Sullivan gave a statement, admitting “how guilty and ashamed I am,” according to the prosecutor’s office.

“There is no denying that this is a tragedy from start to finish,” Judge Gary B. Gilman said.

In addition to his sentence, Sullivan was also ordered by the judge to undergo mental health treatment.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.