Man pleads guilty in 2018 killing of 16-month-old boy

A 37-year-old antheral pleaded blameworthy Wednesday successful Las Vegas to second-degree execution successful the decease of his girlfriend’s 16-month-old son.

Prosecutors said Antonio Bridges, who was visiting from Georgia with Mark Phillips Jr.’s mother, struck and kicked the lad successful aboriginal 2018, causing his death.

On the verge of trial, Bridges pleaded blameworthy done what is known arsenic an Alford plea, which means helium admitted lone that prosecutors had capable grounds to beryllium his guilt.

Deputy Public Defender David Westbrook said Bridges maintained his innocence but could person faced beingness successful situation without the anticipation of parole if convicted by a assemblage of first-degree murder and different charges, including kid abuse.

“As his attorney, I inactive judge 100 percent successful his innocence,” Westbrook said. “He took the woody due to the fact that helium was scared, and I recognize wherefore helium was scared.”

Under the dialog with prosecutors, Bridges, a four-time felon successful Georgia who was connected parole for robbery astatine the clip of Mark’s death, agreed to service 11 to 31 years down bars. District Judge Michelle Leavitt is scheduled to condemnation Bridges successful November.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Christopher Hamner said authorities had surveillance video of the lad “perfectly mean and healthy” from an flat analyzable successful Las Vegas astir an hr earlier Bridges took him to University Medical Center with terrible injuries.

Bridges told a doc that portion driving with Mark, helium noticed that the child’s “breathing sounded funny.”

Doctors examined the kid and noticed a skull fracture, aggregate encephalon bleeds, a lacerated liver, a lung contusion and a spleen injury. The lad died 3 days later.

“The bottommost enactment is that Mr. Bridges’ communicative to the doc virtually didn’t adhd up,” Hamner said aft the plea hearing.

When Bridges initially was detained, authorities said, helium told constabulary helium was the boy’s father. The boy’s begetter had died previously.

Months aft his arrest, Bridges was charged with artillery by a prisoner, battle connected an serviceman by a captive and possession of a unsafe limb by an incarcerated idiosyncratic aft jailhouse officials recovered 2 reinforced shanks successful his compartment astatine the Clark County Detention Center.

As portion of his plea bargain, prosecutors agreed to driblet those charges.

Contact David Ferrara astatine dferrara@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-380-1039. Follow @randompoker connected Twitter.