LOGAN — A Logan man who pleaded guilty in the death of his toddler son has been sentenced to serve one to 15 years in prison.
Mychal Denny, 23, pleaded guilty last month to a charge of child-abuse homicide, a second-degree felony, after admitting he hit his 2-year-old son, Tyson. The beating was so severe the child's internal organs were damaged.
In August, police and the state Department of Child and Family Services received reports that Tyson was being abused. When officials went to the Denny home, they found the child with a tooth injury and bruises on his neck and face.
Denny was told to bring Tyson to the Logan Regional Hospital later that afternoon for an examination. Instead, he fled to the Navajo Nation with the child.
On Aug. 23, Denny called 911 in southern Utah to report that his son was dead.
Denny apologized in 1st District Court before he was sentenced Tuesday. Family members said they had forgiven Denny and asked the judge to give him just enough prison time to be rehabilitated.
Instead, Judge Thomas Willmore sent a letter to the Utah State Prison, requesting Denny serve the maximum sentence.
Prosecutor Barbara Lachmar said the family's forgiveness was not relevant to the punishment.
"The death of this child is not mitigated by the fact that forgiveness has occurred," she said.
Denny's girlfriend at the time of Tyson's death, Christina John, is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 14 on a misdemeanor charge of child neglect. Authorities said the charge stems from a failure to report incidents to authorities.