Photo Credit: KTVB7
Note: we are republishing this story which originally made the news in August 2016.
In a harrowing case that left the court reeling, 26-year-old Isaac Hernandez of Nampa, Idaho, has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for the severe abuse and tragic death of his infant son, Sylys Hernandez, who died just days short of three months old.
Photo Credit: In Memory of Sylys Hernandez/Facebook
Prosecutor Erica Kallin, in a heart-wrenching courtroom account, detailed the horrifying extent of the abuse inflicted upon young Sylys. The infant suffered a staggering 26 rib fractures, both legs were broken, and his mouth had a torn frenulum, likely from a punch to the face. The baby was malnourished, dehydrated, and bore bruises on his face, wrists, hands, and genitals.
During the trial, it was revealed that the injuries were inflicted over a period of time, rather than in a single fit of frustration. Shockingly, photos of Sylys consistently showed visible injuries, leaving the court with an overwhelming sense of the pain and suffering that marked his short life.
Photo Credit: KTVB7
Sylys’ tragic story began with his mother incarcerated due to a methamphetamine conviction, leaving the infant in the care of his father, Isaac Hernandez. Kallin explained that friends and family offered assistance, including babysitting and providing essentials like food and clothing, but Hernandez declined all help.
Several witnesses attested to Hernandez’s alarming behavior towards his son. Sylys rarely smiled or laughed and spent much of his time strapped into a car seat. The child always seemed to have injuries, which Hernandez would dismiss with explanations.
One friend reported seeing Hernandez jabbing at the baby’s stomach and muffling his cries by pushing his face into a blanket. Another recounted the baby’s screams when she tried to lift his legs for a diaper change, only later discovering that his legs were broken.
Photo Credit: KTVB7
Despite an anonymous report of abuse in November 2014, caseworkers ruled it unfounded, and the case was closed without ever seeing the baby. Tragically, the following month, Sylys was dead.
In court, prosecutor Kallin emphasized the need for justice in this heartbreaking case, where a child, now passed, can never be protected in the future. She pressed for a meaningful punishment to ensure Sylys’ death is not in vain.
Although Hernandez was not charged with murder due to the inability to determine the exact cause of the baby’s death, he pleaded guilty to three counts of felony injury to a child, each carrying a maximum sentence of ten years.
Photo Credit: KTVB7
Defense attorney Robert Tilley advocated for Hernandez, citing his difficult upbringing and the challenges of being a single father on felony probation. However, Judge George Southworth ultimately sided with the prosecution, sentencing Hernandez to 27 years in prison, with at least seven years before parole eligibility.
Judge Southworth expressed his deep sadness for the child, stating, “It does not appear that that child had even a day of joy in his life,” and firmly held Hernandez responsible for the prolonged agony inflicted upon his son.
Sources: KTVB7
