KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A Kalamazoo man who pleaded guilty to the abuse of his child—including admitting to squeezing the child's head and throwing him—was sentenced Monday.
Paul Preston was charged with five counts of first-degree child abuse dating back to 2023. He pleaded guilty in June to two of those counts, and was sentenced to a minimum of five years in prison with a credit for 405 days served.
These charges date back to an investigation that began on May 23, 2023, when the child's mom, Norene Burkhead, took him to Bronson Hospital.
"[Paul] was walking to the bedroom and he said he tripped and fell with the baby," she said. "At least that's what he told me."
According to court documents, Preston admitted to investigators he punched or struck his child in the head four separate times.
He would sometimes grip his baby's head with both hands and squeeze, hold his sides and squeeze him, throw him on a bed, and throw him into the air and catch him, court documents detailed.
Police said Preston admitted the violent acts started when the child was just three weeks old.
Burkhead was charged with failing to report her child's abuse. She pleaded guilty to fourth-degree child abuse.
On Monday, she was sentenced to one day in prison with credit for one day served. She will also pay $1,135 in fines and court costs.
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