A man pleaded no contest Thursday to voluntary manslaughter and child abuse charges in connection with the death of his 1 1/2- year-old son, who was found unresponsive at a South Los Angeles motel in July 2021.
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Shane Zachary Flowers, now 26, was immediately sentenced to 28 years and eight months in state prison, according to Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Hatami.
Flowers was initially charged with murder and assault on a child causing death involving his son, who was identified by authorities as Dee'ago Alexander Jones.
Along with the voluntary manslaughter charge, Flowers pleaded no contest to six counts of child abuse under circumstances or conditions likely to cause great bodily injury or death.
The toddler was transported by the Los Angeles Fire Department from the 5600 block of South Western Avenue in "medical distress" and was pronounced dead at the hospital July 13, 2021, police said.
An autopsy subsequently determined that the boy died from blunt trauma in what was classified as a homicide, according to records from the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner.
Flowers was detained the next day by Torrance police before being booked by Los Angeles police in connection with the boy's death, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
He has remained behind bars since then, jail records show.
The prosecutor noted that "nothing can bring Dee'Ago back," but he said the boy's mother and family along with LAPD detectives who worked on the case were "pleased with the lengthy sentence and that justice was finally served."
The defendant waived his right to appeal the case, according to the deputy district attorney.
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