PUTNAM COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) -- More than 20 months after a Putnam County toddler died from blunt force injuries, his mother's boyfriend at the time of the incident pleaded guilty to murder and received a decades-long sentence.

The Putnam County Sheriff's Office said it received a call about an unresponsive 2-year-old on Dec. 2, 2023. When deputies arrived at the scene, they reportedly found a toddler with bruising and swelling on his head.

The boy was taken to Cookeville Regional Medical Center and then transported to Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, where personnel determined he had suffered a "major traumatic brain injury," according to officials.

The toddler, identified as Ventura Mora-Francisco, died from his injuries on Dec. 5, 2023, authorities said.

Eight days later, law enforcement announced that Ventura's mother's boyfriend, Ashton Cole Sensing, was wanted in connection with the child's death. At the time of the incident, the then-22-year-old was reportedly babysitting Ventura and three other children while the mother was at work.

After the investigation began, Sensing allegedly fled the jurisdiction to avoid arrest, with help from the toddler's mother, Sara Mora. The sheriff's office said Mora told law enforcement she had taken Sensing to an undisclosed location in Ashland City and later brought him back to Putnam County.

However, Sensing was arrested in Putnam County for first-degree murder of a child and aggravated child abuse on Dec. 14, 2023, about two weeks before Mora was taken into custody for accessory after the fact, according to authorities.

Since then, District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway said Mora has pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact for assisting Sensing in his flight.

When deputies were at the home, Sensing reportedly said the 2-year-old had fallen into a small air vent on the floor then fell again, causing the child to become unresponsive while Sensing was sleeping on the couch in the living room area. However, Sensing later admitted to "getting upset with the child" multiple times throughout the day, which led to him "throwing the child into a wall and hitting him," officials said.

Dunaway said the medical examiner determined Ventura died from multiple blunt force injuries, with the manner of death deemed homicide.

More than a year later, on Thursday, Aug. 14, Dunaway said Sensing appeared before Putnam County Criminal Court and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. The toddler's father, Juan Francisco -- who was involved in the case and consulted throughout the process -- reportedly supported the terms of the plea.

According to Dunaway, Francisco made an emotional victim impact statement in court Thursday morning, saying, in part, "although this case may close today, our love for him will never end...the pain of planning his funeral rather than his birthday is unbearable."

Sensing was sentenced to 40 years "to serve at 100%," Dunaway said.

Dunaway said the Putnam County Sheriff's Office investigated the toddler's death, but other Child Protective Investigative Team agencies were involved in the case, including the DA's office, the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, and the Upper Cumberland Child Advocacy Center.

"The abuse of a child is inexcusable and the loss of a this child’s life due to abuse is so very tragic and heartbreaking. The law requires the reporting of suspected abuse. If you see something, you have to say something. Children deserve to be protected," Dunaway wrote on Facebook. "Please pray for healing for this family. May God comfort little V.F. in heaven."

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/man-pleads-guilty-to-2023-murder-of-putnam-county-child/