Tyler Zaugg, a New York State resident, was sentenced to 32 years in prison for the death of his infant son, Noah James Locke. The infant was born on May 10, 2021, and tragically passed away on July 16, 2021. Zaugg was accused of striking the infant in the face with a closed fist, causing a significant brain injury and multiple fractured ribs. He was indicted on multiple counts of assault and endangering the welfare of a child. In February 2022, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter and assault charges.
Tyler Zaugg. Autographed Letter, Signed. Handwritten, Commercial #10 (4.125 × 9.5 envelope). N.p. July 26, 2024. Content unknown. SEALED.
Tyler Zaugg was involved in a tragic and serious criminal case. He was sentenced to 32 years in prison for the death of his infant son, Noah James Locke. The baby was born on May 10, 2021, and died a little more than two months later on July 16, 2021. Zaugg, then 19, was indicted on charges including first-degree assault and second-degree assault, which involved incidents on June 29 and between July 2 and July 4, 2021. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and assault charges.
Zaugg was accused of striking the less-than-two-month-old infant “in the face with a closed fist causing the victim to sustain a significant brain injury.” Reports also said the defendant hit the victim “in the torso with a closed fist causing the victim to suffer multiple fractured ribs and substantial risk of danger to his life and health.”
The infant’s mother, Delaney Locke, told the authorities that the defendant called her and told her that their son had “slipped under the water” on July 5, 2021. Rather, the defendant reportedly admitted, as part of his plea agreement, that he held the child underwater.
“He told me [the baby] wasn’t moving and I needed to come home,” Locke told the police regarding her July 5, 2021 call with Zaugg. “I hung up and called him back and told him to call 911.”
“Tyler has made comments in the past that if a child is abuse [sic] they always blame the dad,” Locke also told the police via a handwritten statement, which appears to erroneously list the date of the statement itself as someone’s date of birth.
Rescue crews responded that fateful July day and noted that the infant had suffered “life-threatening injuries.”
The staff at Glens Falls Hospital noted that there were bruises on infant’s body; Locke told the police that the “injuries only started about two weeks ago” but that she had “never seen Tyler do anything bad to [the baby].”
During Thursday’s sentencing hearing, District Attorney Jason Carusone said Zaugg had hurt the child previously but “allowed himself” to remain alone with the infant the day the boy was rushed to the hospital.
The infant’s mother spoke at sentencing.
“To this day, I have no idea exactly … no idea what exactly Tyler intentionally did to my baby,” said Locke, now 20. “Though I am young, I did all I could for Noah and just wanted the right to watch my son grow.”
In addition to the aforementioned 32 years behind bars, a judge ordered Zaugg to serve five years of post-release supervision once he’s out of prison.
“You, Mr. Zaugg, were never a father to Noah,” said Warren County Judge Rob Smith. “Instead, you were his (and every child’s) worst nightmare. You are a monster. As a father to two boys, I cannot even begin to fathom how you could commit such violent acts toward an innocent baby.”
VIDEO: Teen Admits To Killing 8 Week Old Baby by Holding Him Underwater | https://youtu.be/stW5LLgCiJo
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