A 25-year-old man convicted of kidnapping, aggravated battery, and domestic abuse battery received a lengthy prison sentence from a Lafourche Parish judge.
Judge Marla Abel sentenced Joshua Simon to a total of 23 years without parole in the 2018 incident.
Prosecutors said that Simon's girlfriend of two months was returning some of his belongings after ending their relationship when he took her infant child to force her into his house, where he then beat her repeatedly with a belt and at one point burned the victim.
"Despite the brutal acts inflicted upon her, the victim displayed tremendous strength and foresight that night and throughout the entire judicial process," said Assistant District Attorney Allie Fournet. "Hopefully this conviction and hefty sentence encourages other victims of domestic violence to come forward and make their voices heard. We want them to know that they are not alone; we are here to help."
Simon received five years for the kidnapping, 15 years for the aggravated battery, and three years for the domestic abuse battery. The judge ordered the sentences served consecutively.