A French couple was sentenced this week in connection with the death of a 3-year-old boy who died in 2016 after enduring days of abuse.
BBC News reports that Loïc Vantal, 28, dealt blows so brutal to his girlfriend’s son Tony that the child died of “deliberate violence that led to his death”. According to an autopsy report presented at the Vantal trial at the Reims Court of Justice, the victim died with 60 injuries to his body.
“An approximate number, I will not detail them all”, testified the forensic pathologist Gérard Jeunehomme. “But I can say that 23 were located on the head.”
The incident occurred on November 26, 2016, when the boy’s mother, Caroline Létoile, then 19, contacted the authorities about an indifferent child. While waiting for a police dispatcher, Létoile started talking to Vantal without realizing that the call was being recorded.
“I said he fell down the stairs,” said Létoile to Vantal.
“The stairs will do, right? The stairs to the apartment … And I’m hiding all things from the discussion. “
When the authorities arrived, they noticed bruises all over the victim’s body. The first respondents quickly took him to the University Hospital in Reims, where he was pronounced dead. The medical team said that Tony had also ruptured the spleen and pancreas, which ended up causing his death, reports Le Monde.
Létoile told authorities that he had warned Vantal that he would leave him if he continued to beat his son. When asked why she tried to cover up Vantal, Létoile said she was afraid.
“I was afraid of this man … I wanted to ask for help, I couldn’t.”
“I never wanted to protect you. I didn’t do it out of love, especially for him. I have to be able to explain this fear. I have a hard time finding the words, ”added Létoile.
A jury returned a guilty verdict to Létoile for “not reporting physical abuse”. She was sentenced to four years behind bars.
Vantal reportedly showed no emotion while the court heard how he called the boy a “disgusting bastard” while regularly beating him.
“[A neighbor] I heard young Tony being cursed every morning and someone poking his head in the pee, ”said the prosecutor.
Vantal was sentenced to 20 years in prison, but insisted that he never intended to kill the boy.
“I caused his death, I didn’t kill him. It was not intentional. “
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[Feature Photo: Tony/Handout]