An Oregon man is headed to prison for a decade after he nearly killed his 20-month-old son when he punched him in the stomach, causing a perforation of his small intestine.
Joseph Washington was sentenced Friday to 121 months behind bars after a jury earlier this month convicted him of first-degree assault. The incident occurred on April 4, 2024, in Portland, according to the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors said the boy’s mother had custody of him and she and Washington were no longer together.
Washington, who would watch the boy on occasion while his mom was at work, was looking after the child at his girlfriend’s house. He contacted his ex-girlfriend to say the boy was “throwing up significantly,” per prosecutors…