WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI (WSAU) — A Wisconsin Rapids man has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for shaking his 3-month-old daughter.
Joseph P. Lemay was sentenced Wednesday to 27 and a half years in prison for causing brain damage to his infant daughter that put her into a medically induced coma.
Lamay shook his infant daughter when she wouldn’t stop crying. She got sick an hour later where Lemay didn’t help her. The next day he shook her again and slammed the baby into the couch, which caused the child to have a seizure. Lemay did not take her to the hospital.
At the time Lemay was on probation and under order not to be in contact with the baby or her mother. The mother, Meghan Newman was the one who brought the child to the hospital. Doctors say it will be years before they know the extent of the baby’s brain injuries and how they will impact her.
Lemay has been convicted before for violent crimes including 1st-degree reckless injury with a dangerous weapon and threatening force. The sentence exceeds what was originally requested by state attorney Craig Lambert who asked for 20 years.
Judge Greg Potter also gave Lemay 20 years of extended supervision following his 27 and a half year prison sentence. Lemay will begin serving that sentence following his current 3 and a half year prison sentence for violating his probation.
