LAFAYETTE, La. — A Louisiana man was found guilty of second-degree murder on Wednesday in the 2022 death of a 22-month-old toddler.
A Lafayette Parish state district court jury deliberated for four hours before returning a unanimous conviction against Christopher Ledet Jr., of Lafayette, KADN-TV reported. He had been accused in the July 21, 2022, death of Kaceston Freeman, the child of his then-girlfriend, Quintya Freeman, according to The Acadiana Advocate.
The verdict came after six days of testimony, according to the newspaper. The jury found that Kaceston Freeman suffered a traumatic head injury while in Ledet’s care, KFLY-TV reported.
New Iberia man found guilty for murder of 22-month-old child https://t.co/IoTvZRxPhl
— KLFY NEWS 10 (@KLFY) December 13, 2023
Second-degree murder carries a life sentence in Louisiana, The Advocate reported.
Prosecutors alleged that the child, who was alone with Ledet, was taking a bath at home when he suffered a traumatic head injury, according to KADN.
The defendant allegedly put the child to bed sometime after 10 p.m., before Quintya Freeman returned home from work, KLFY reported.
The next morning the child was found not breathing while in bed, and emergency medical service technicians were unable to revive him, according to the television station.
State prosecutors argued that Ledet caused the trauma and did not seek medical attention for the child, which led to his death, The Advocate reported. Ledet’s attorneys argued that the state did not fully examine other suspects, adding that a complete investigation was not conducted.
A medical examiner testified that Kaceston Freeman died from blunt force trauma from an assault, according to the newspaper. The official said they found injuries including hemorrhaging between the toddler’s brain and skull, brain swelling, retinal hemorrhaging and a healing laceration on the child’s liver.
“These types of cases are very difficult to prove and hard on everyone involved, from the victims and their families to our prosecutors and staff,” District Attorney Don Landry told reporters after the verdict. “These felony track prosecutors and their staff did a fantastic job of presenting the evidence in this case in trial, which lasted almost two weeks.”
After the verdict was read, Ledet placed his head on the table and quietly cried, The Advocate reported. He then spoke out to his family.
“Thank you for supporting me. I love y’all,” he said. “Just make sure my family’s good for me.
“They couldn’t even prove that I did it,” Ledet said to his family, according to the newspaper. “Now my kids have to grow up without a dad.”
Ledet was arrested on July 19, 2023, according to Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office online booking records.
He will be sentenced on March 13, 2024, WADN reported.
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