TROY, N.Y. -- A Sand Lake man will spend the next ten years in prison after pleading guilty Thursday to an assault that left a 14-month old baby blind.
Asa Madsen pleaded guilty in Rensselaer County Court to a November 2011 incident in which he was accused to have harmed 14-month-old Leah Phelps. Leah was blinded in both eyes after suffering from retinal hemorrhages caused by the incident.
Madsen admitted to shaking and injuring Leah while he was living with her mother in Rensselaer County. At the time of the assault, Madsen was not allowed to be around the baby or her mother because the mother had an order of protection against him stemming from a previous domestic violence incident.
On Thursday, the office of the Rensselaer County Court Clerk confirmed Madsen pleaded guilty to Assault in the 1st Degree. Assistant District Attorney Christa Book, who was in court for the plea, said Madsen did not say much during the proceedings but did admit to becoming frustrated and shaking the baby. He also admitted to knowing that the baby was injured.
A victim impact statement by Leah's mother was read during the proceedings. Book said the mother expressed frustration that her daughter would never be able to see again. Book said the mother was also angry that the last face the baby ever saw was Madsen's, as he shook her.
Madsen's guilty plea carried a ten-year state prison sentence, with five-years post release supervision.
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