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Man Sentenced In Beating Death Of 21-Month-Old Boy

ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4)- A man has been sentenced to 42 year in prison for the beating death of an infant.

Donald Scarlett was sentenced on Thursday in Adams County District Court for the brutal beating death of his girlfriend's 21-month-old son.

Michael Harris died Feb. 2, 2011 of catastrophic brain, spinal and abdominal injuries.

Scarlett was convicted Feb. 12 of criminally negligent child abuse resulting in death and reckless manslaughter. He had been charged with first degree murder of a child by a person in a position of trust.

The toddler's mother, Rose Anna Key was sentenced in February to 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to criminally negligent child abuse resulting in death for her role in Michael's death.

Police in Brighton found Michael unresponsive and without a pulse when they rushed to a 911 call from Scarlett who was with the boy while Key was at work.

Michael was rushed to Platte Valley Medical Center in Brighton and then to Children's Hospital in Aurora where doctors concluded that Michael's injuries were so severe they were inoperable.

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