Dad gets ONE year sentence in death of 13-month-old son despite prior felony convictions (Cullman, Alabama)

Under aged mother, but no acknowledgement in the article of that.

Dad is identified as B.J. BRYANT.

http://www.cullmantimes.com/news/father-pleads-guilty-to-aggravated-child-abuse-in--month/article_1af1a550-68c2-11e5-aa2d-b7c4bb6e680f.html

Father pleads guilty to aggravated child abuse in 13-month-old son’s death
B.J. Bryant pleaded guilty to aggravated child abuse in connection with the drowning death of his 13-month-old son and was given a one-year sentence.

Posted: Friday, October 2, 2015 5:00 am
Staff report

A Cullman father pleaded guilty to aggravated child abuse in connection with the drowning death of his 13-month-old son and was given a one-year sentence.

B.J. Bryant, 24, will be on supervised probation for five years. Two other charges of criminally negligent homicide and manslaughter were dismissed, according to an order filed by Cullman County Circuit Judge Martha Williams Thursday. Bryant will be required to testify against the child’s mother, Justina Freeman, 20, who is facing the same three charges.

The Cullman County Sheriff’s Office arrested Bryant and Freeman in 2013 after an 11-month investigation into the death of their son Blakelee Jayce Bryant.

The child was found unresponsive at the couple’s home May 21, 2012 after being in the bathtub. He was rushed to Cullman Regional Medical Center and then flown to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham. He was put on life support and died May 26, 2012.

Former Chief Deputy Max Bartlett told The Cullman Times in 2013 the conditions of the scene and the home indicated Blakelee had been severely neglected, and the couple was charged. Bryant was 21 years old and Freeman 17 at the time of their child’s death.

According to Williams’ order, Bryant had a prior felony conviction and has 42 days to appeal his conviction on the aggravated child abuse charge.

Freeman was scheduled to appear in court September 24 before presiding Circuit Court Judge Greg Nicholas. It’s not clear the status of the case.