Preston Nelson sentenced to 17 years in prison in death of 20-month-old Milwaukee boy

MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee County judge sentenced 26-year-old Preston Nelson on Friday, May 27th to 17 years in prison and another 12 years of extended supervision.

Preston Nelson

Nelson had pleaded guilty in the death of a 20-month-old boy, Kayden. He pleaded guilty to amended charges of second-degree reckless homicide and physical abuse of a child.

In court on Friday, Kayden's mother, Angelica Burkett, spoke to the court.

"It's his fault my child is dead. It's his fault the way families are broken," Burkett said.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could take Kayden's place," Nelson told the judge and those in the court.

20-month-old Kayden

Kayden died in January 2015, after he was placed in Nelson’s care by his mother, along with her two other children, while she went to work.

"I left them in someone’s care, whom I trusted. My son was in perfect health when I left him there and I expected him to be that way when I got home and he was not," said Burkett in August 2015.

A doctor at the hospital determined Kayden had suffered inflicted trauma on January 2nd, and “severe child physical abuse,” including “massive abusive head trauma” and injury to the brain. Kayden was removed from life support and pronounced dead on January 12th after a second examination determined him to be brain-dead.

A medical examiner determined Kayden died as a result of complications from blunt force trauma to the head. His death was ruled a homicide.

In the end, prosecutors requested 18 years in prison -- the defense asked for eight. The judge settled on 17 years.

"Less than 18 years in an insult to my child," Burkett said.

Preston Nelson