Austintown father whose assaults killed infant son gets 15 years to life
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YOUNGSTOWN -- Judge Anthony D'Apolito sentenced Nicholas B. Tigges, 35, formerly of Redgate Lane in Austintown, to the mandatory 15-years-to-life in prison Monday in the beating death of his infant son, Roger E. Wilson. Tigges pleaded guilty to murder.
Assistant Prosecutor Caitlyn Andrews said Tigges was changing the diapers of the infant and his twin sister late at night April 25, and Roger was crying.
"The defendant pretty much snapped, shook him and hit his head off of the table at least three times, so he had multiple skull fractures," Andrews said of the infant.
Tigges was indicted on charges of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault and child endangering, but all but the murder were dismissed in exchange for Tigges' guilty plea.
Andrews told Judge D'Apolito during the hearing that she notified the infant boy's mother, Kaitlynn Wilson, of the sentencing hearing, but she "has an attorney, so there hasn't been much communication with her" regarding the recommended sentencing, and Wilson did not attend Monday's hearing.
Wilson also is facing charges, but not in relation to Roger's death, only in relation to the other twin, Andrews said. Wilson is charged with two counts of misdemeanor child endangering in relation to the infant girl. Those charges are still pending in Mahoning County Area Court in Austintown.
Austintown police were called to Akron Children's Hospital in Boardman on April 25 after a social worker called to report that the infant was brought in with five skull fractures, two brain bleeds, abdominal injuries, and thigh and knee bruising, police have said.
The hospital advised police the injuries were consistent with non accidental trauma, according to a police report. The boy was transported to the main branch of Akron Children's Hospital, where he died in early June.
The boy and his twin sister had routine doctor appointments earlier April 25, and there were no injuries noted, police said. The girl was in the care of Mahoning County Children Services as of last June.
Tigges' attorney, Rhys Cartwright-Jones, said his client's actions were a "spontaneous, disastrous, horrifying event, something he did that resulted in the death of his own flesh and blood," but he "has been through a real change" and is ready to do "what he needs to do to develop in the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction."
Tigges declined to say anything before sentencing.
The judge said Tigges will "live with (the killing of his son) the rest of your life. And if that doesn't cause you nightmares, regret, all of the different emotions that go along with it, there's nothing I can do on top if it to make it any more impactful."
Tigges' initial bond amount was set in Mahoning County Area Court in Austintown May 2, before the infant boy died. Tigges initially was charged with child endangering, a second-degree felony; felonious assault, a second-degree felony; and domestic violence, a first-degree misdemeanor. Tigges was booked into the Mahoning County jail April 30. He has been there since then and gets credit for 326 days of jail credit while awaiting trial.
erunyan@vindy.com