MONMOUTH COUNTY, N.J. (1010 WINS) — A New Jersey man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for killing his six-week-old baby girl in 2019, prosecutors said Monday.
The 26-year-old Wall Township man, Austin Meli, previously pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated manslaughter on Feb. 10, 2022.
Police officers responded to a 911 call on March 10, 2019 of an unresponsive six-week-old infant in Meli’s care, according to court documents.
Emergency responders transported the infant to Ocean Medical Center where she was pronounced dead. An investigation revealed that Meli had smothered the baby to get her to stop crying, causing her to die of asphyxiation, officials said.
“The defendant’s depraved actions caused this horrific tragedy and left other family members to mourn an immeasurable loss,” Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said. “While it is impossible to make this family whole, this plea deal and the subsequent sentence provides justice and closure for the victim’s family for such an unspeakable and heinous act.”
Before being eligible for parole, Meli must serve 85% of his sentence. He is currently serving a 10-year sentence in state prison for second-degree aggravated assault and other charges for crimes he committed against his other children. The sentences will run consecutively.
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