Babysitter receives prison sentence for burning 10 month old baby boy

Multnomah Co. District Attorney's Office - 04/27/18 

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced a prison sentence for a 22 year old man convicted of the assault and criminal mistreatment of a 10 month old baby boy.

On April 27, 2018, Sean Anthony Middleton appeared before Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Eric L. Dahlin and pleaded guilty to one count of felony criminal mistreatment in the first degree and two counts of assault in the third degree. The defendant was immediately sentenced to 18 months in prison for the criminal mistreatment conviction and received a 14 month concurrent prison sentence on one of the assault charges. On the other assault charge, the defendant received 60 months of formal probation.

As part of the sentencing, upon the defendant’s release from prison, he will remain on 36 months of post-prison supervision. The defendant also agreed that he will, while on probation, participate in a psychological evaluation and participate in any mental health treatment that may be recommended; take anger management counseling classes, if ordered; possess no dangerous or deadly weapons; not participate in any child caretaking of any kind, unless approved by his Probation Officer; not to live with any child, unless he receives prior permission; and not to engage in any physical discipline of any child.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed in this case, the investigation started on October 18, 2017 when Portland Police detectives assigned to the Multnomah County Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team responded to Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel regarding suspicious injuries to a then 10 month old baby boy. Child abuse doctors at the hospital noted that the child tested positive for Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), had numerous bruises on his body and had a moon shaped burn on his upper back, burnt hair and other signs of non-accidental trauma.

“Children are among the most vulnerable members of our society,” said Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Chuck Mickley who prosecuted this case along with Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney Amber Kinney. “April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. No one, especially a child, should be subjected to the kind of abuse and criminal mistreatment that the defendant caused.”

Court records in this case state that the defendant was the victim’s babysitter.

“The defendant was in a position of trust when he caused these injuries,” Mickley said. “The child abuse detectives later learned that Sean Middleton caused these injuries out of frustration. He was frustrated with the child’s crying and having to change the boy’s diaper. There is never an excuse to assault someone.”

This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau and the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Team.

##MCDA##

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director

Phone: 503.988.6567

Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us