Queens father sentenced to 32 years for killing 3-year-old son: DA
QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) -- A 29-year-old Queens man was sentenced to 32 years to life in prison for killing his 3-year-old son in an Elmhurst shelter, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Monday.
A jury convicted Shaquan Butler of murder in the second degree, assault in the second degree, and six counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
Butler was living with his three-year-old son, Shaquan Butler, Jr., two additional children, and the children's mother in a family shelter at an Elmhurst hotel at the time of the murder, according to trial testimony.
On Nov. 13, 2022, police received a call from the children's mother that Shaquan, Jr. was not breathing.
EMS discovered the child lying naked on the floor with bruises all over his body, prosecutors say. Butler reportedly told EMTs that his son choked while eating and that he tried to save him.
Shaquan, Jr., was declared dead at a local hospital.
According to the medical examiner, the child suffered 23 fractures to his ribs, three lacerations of the liver, multiple blunt force injuries, and substantial internal bleeding. There were no signs of choking, and the child's stomach was empty.
Additionally, a medical examination of the boy's brother, who was 2 years old at the time, showed signs of malnutrition and physical injuries consistent with child abuse.
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Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here.