Toddler's death leads to prison sentence for Palm Springs-area man
WEST PALM BEACH — A judge has sentenced a 25-year-old Palm Springs-area man to 10 years in prison in the October 2020 death of a 22-month-old boy.
Ernest Jenkins pleaded to one count of aggravated manslaughter of a child during a hearing Jan. 18 before Circuit Judge Caroline Shepherd. Prosecutors dropped a second charge of child abuse.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office arrested Jenkins after investigators alleged that he pushed the boy when he refused to get into a shower to bathe, causing injuries that led to his death.
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On Oct. 7, 2020, paramedics brought the toddler to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach with multiple injuries, including bruising, bone fractures and internal issues, according to Jenkins' arrest report. He underwent several medical procedures but died days later.
Jenkins told investigators the boy was injured when two dogs got loose and attacked him. However, the Palm Beach County Medical Examiner's Office determined that the child's injuries were not consistent with Jenkins' statement.
Jenkins later told investigators he "scooped" the boy "a little too hard," causing the child to fall. The medical examiner classified the toddler's death as a homicide, one of at least two that year that involved a child under the age of 5.
The Florida Department of Children and Families reported 382 deaths involving children ages 5 or younger in 2020, including 21 cases in Palm Beach County. The DCF total included causes such as drowning, trauma and natural deaths.
Shepherd credited Jenkins with just over two years and three months of time served in jail as he awaited trial.
She also ordered that Jenkins' prison term be followed by three years of probation, that he complete a parenting class within 30 days of his release and that he either obtain gainful employment or show proof that he is searching for a job.
Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him atjwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on Twitter at@JuliusWhigham. Help support our work:Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: South Florida man pleads guilty in 2020 manslaughter death of child
