JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — On Friday morning, the man who ran over and killed his 8-month-old baby in January was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Justin Golden, 20, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter of a child in September.
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Prosecutors made the case this was no accident, rather the consequence of an intentional act Golden knew would put his child in harm’s way. The judge agreed, handing down the maximum sentence.
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On January 25, Justin Golden took his 8-month-old child Pablo out of his car and placed him on the road at the intersection of McDuff Avenue South and Lenox Avenue.
Golden was arguing with his child’s mother at the time, and after placing the baby on the ground he drove away, striking and killing the child.
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During his sentencing hearing Friday morning, prosecutors argued while Golden’s intent may not have been to hit and kill his child, his actions were virtually indistinguishable from a person who did have that intent.
“I have seen people exercise more care, caution and concern for a squirrel that darts into the roadway, a lizard that is on the hood of their car,” the prosecutor said. “I have seen people act more carefully in a car than the way this defendant did with his own son’s life. And that is why every time I watch this video I am just appalled, and again saddened, because even though this might not have been intentional, if you wanted it to be, it would look exactly like this is.”
Golden apologized for the pain he caused his son, his family and the community and agreed he deserved judicial punishment.
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