After being found guilty of several offenses, including first-degree assault for seriously injuring a kid under the age of six, Joseph Washington was sentenced late last month.
Judge Christopher Ramras gave the Portland-area man a 10-year prison term for severely assaulting his 20-month-old baby, almost killing him.
According to the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, the incident took place on April 4, 2024, in a home in Southeast Portland.
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Washington struck his son in the stomach, resulting in severe traumatic injuries, including a small intestine perforation.
The treating doctor testified that the damage was life-threatening and would have prevented the infant from swallowing or holding down meals.
The baby had a high probability of dying by the following morning, but his mother was able to get him to the hospital in time.
Investigators learned from the child’s mother, who is no longer with Washington, that he occasionally kept an eye on their son while she was at work.
Washington was at his girlfriend’s residence on the day of the incident, looking after the child, and he later claimed that the child was throwing up a lot.
Even though Washington was told to take the youngster to the hospital, he gave him back to his mother, who saw his condition and sought medical help right away.
Washington’s girlfriend later told authorities that he admitted to punching the child twice because he was upset.
Deputy District Attorney Mihnea Moga, who prosecuted the case, said, “The Defendant’s violence nearly killed this child. Despite his attempts to ignore the child’s symptoms and persuading the mother to have the child go to sleep that night, her decision to take him to the hospital saved his life. The verdict in this case represents accountability for his gruesome behavior.”
During sentencing, prosecutors cited Washington’s prior convictions, which include a 2010 federal conviction for child sex trafficking; 2010 Multnomah County convictions for second-degree assault and second-degree kidnapping; and 2006 and 2005 Clackamas County convictions for fourth-degree assault.
In Washington County, fourth-degree assault and strangulation were both considered forms of domestic violence in 2023.
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