JOSHUA JENKINS - 6 yo (2008) - Cape Coral FL

A Cape Coral man found guilty of aggravated manslaughter in the
death of his 6-year-old stepson has received the maximum sentence
allowed by law.Phillipe Ian Gayle, 28, was sentenced Monday to 30 years in prison for killing Joshua Jenkins in 2008.Gayle
was found guilty of aggravated manslaughter of a child and aggravated
child neglect by a jury in November. ,Judge Ramiro Manalich imposed the
sentence.

On Feb. 18, 2008, at 7:36 p.m., Cape Police were
notified by officials at Health Park that an abused 6-year-old boy was
at their hospital in ICU and was not expected to live. The boy died at
9:14 p.m.Detectives responded to the hospital and found the boy
covered in bruises. An autopsy on Joshua found that he had sustained
blunt force trauma, causing multiple contusions to his diaphragm and
lungs, as well as a lacerated liver. He had hemorrhages to his forehead
and excessive bleeding in his abdominal area. Bite marks also were
found on his body.Detective Christy Jo Ellis and Detective Kurt
Grau approached Gayle at the hospital, and he agreed to be interviewed
at police headquarters. During questioning, Gayle changed his story
four times. He finally admitted that he woke up at 10 a.m. to find that
Joshua had urinated in the bed they were sleeping in together. Gayle
then said he was "playing too rough" with Joshua and hit him in his
side with his knuckles, bit him and squeezed him. He also said he would
fall on top of Joshua with his 225-lb. body, while Joshua weighed only
50 pounds.Gayle was arrested by the detectives and charged in the boy's death.