Madison man sentenced to 50 years in death of 3-year-old boy

MADISON, S.D. (AP) - A Madison man has been sentenced to serve 50 years in prison for the death of a 3-year-old boy in his care a year ago.

Twenty-two-year-old Jacob Meinders was charged with murder and other counts in a September 2015 incident in which the boy was found injured at a Madison residence and taken to a Sioux Falls hospital, where he later died.

Meinders initially reported the boy had fallen down a flight of stairs. Authorities determined the boy had been physically abused.

Meinders pleaded guilty last month to manslaughter, and prosecutors dropped murder and abuse counts. The Daily Leader reports (https://bit.ly/2eC3w1K ) that Meinders was sentenced Friday to 75 years in prison with 25 years suspended. He also was ordered to pay $16,300 in restitution.

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Information from: The Madison Daily Leader, https://www.madisondailyleader.com