Boyce Man Sentenced To Life In Child’s Death

ALEXANDRIA, La. (AP) — A 25-year-old Boyce man convicted in the death of an 18-month-old child has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole by state District Judge Patricia Koch.

The Town Talk reports Jaymes L. Harris was found guilty of second-degree murder and obstruction of justice.

At the time of the child's death, Harris was the live-in boyfriend of the child's mother. An autopsy showed the child suffered from multiple burns matching the metal end of a lighter, bruises and contusions over the child's body, and damage to internal organs, including a rupture in the stomach.

The obstruction of justice charge arose from Harris smearing the child's body with Vaseline in an effort to conceal the bruises and injuries.