BY BRUNO MATARAZZO JR.
REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN
NAUGATUCK — A judge sentenced a 40-year-old father to 18 months in prison for injuring his infant child for not drinking from a bottle last year.
Steven Elliott has been held by Naugatuck police on a $1 million bond since his arrest June 14, 2022 and the sentence means he will spend six more months in prison.
In March, Elliott pleaded guilty to one count of risk of injury. He faced a maximum of three years in prison as part of a negotiated plea agreement.
Judge Joseph Schwartz sentenced Elliott on June 23 in Waterbury Superior Court.
Elliott was sentenced to eight years in prison, suspended after 18 months.
Scwhartz issued a standing protective order that Elliott only have supervised contact with his child for the five years of probation.
Elliott apologized during the sentencing and admitted what he had done.
Many members of Elliott’s family spoke in support of Elliott.
Attorney Joseph A. Geremia Jr., the court-appointed guardian ad litem for the child, read a letter written by the mother.
“No amount of years in prison can take away what you did to my son … No matter what is decided today, it cannot undo what has already happened. And I am not even certain that any time served will result in you walking out a better man. There is no guarantee that will happen,” the letter stated.
Last year, the new father became angry at his son over not drinking his bottle of formula because the baby was falling asleep, according to prosecutors.
Elliott told police he struck the victim in the head with a bottle of formula about three or four times. Elliott then slammed the back of the child’s head on his knee, according to the police report.
The infant child was transported to Connecticut Children’s Medical Center where he was treated for serious injuries.
Elliott was initially charged with intentional cruelty to a person, risk of injury to child, reckless endangerment first-degree, assault first-degree and disorderly conduct.
The long-term prognosis of the child is unclear.
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