Man sentenced to 45 years for baby’s death

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – An Indiana man was sentenced on Wednesday for the death of his girlfriend’s 4-month-old baby in 2013.

Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry announced Jared Tapley has been sentenced to 45 years executed in the Indiana Department of Correction.

According to court documents, Tapley was babysitting the 4-month-old girl in Feb. 2013 when he called 911 saying she wasn’t breathing. Investigators say Tapley didn’t explain how the baby was injured.

Detectives say they obtained an IHSAA State Championship basketball ring that Tapley was seen wearing on the day of the incident. An autopsy performed on the infant noted the injury pattern on the side of her face was consistent with Tapley’s ring, officials said. The 4-month-old’s cause of death was ruled to be blunt force trauma to the head.

Tapley pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent resulting in death in Oct. 2014.