District Judge Trish Rose found their was substantial evidence to grant the states motion a second time in sentencing a Hutchinson man to an aggravated sentence in a child abuse case.

She gave Aron Pritchard that exact same sentence that now retired Judge Richard Rome gave him back in 2008.

Pritchard had been found guilty by a Reno County jury of child abuse for placing two children in a clothes dryer, a three-year-old boy, and a two-year-old girl. The boy sustained 2nd degree burns on his back, arms and buttocks. The crimes occurring back on November 28, 2006.

The Kansas Court of Appeals had upheld the conviction of a Hutchinson man found guilty of child abuse, but remanded the case back to District Court for reconsideration of sentencing over testimony of Dr. Ellen Losew. She had testified at the sentencing hearing back in 2008, that she could not find any examples of a child abuse case like this one. The Court of Appeals apparently rejected that and sent the case back. Judge Rose stated in court Friday that she didn’t think the testimony by Dr. Losew was that significant and found there was still enough evidence in the case for the state to be granted the upward departure. She agreed with the state and the jury that Pritchard had fiduciary responsibility to the kids.

Pritchard told the judge prior to her decision that he was sorry his son got hurt. He says they may not be my biological kids, but they are mine. I helped raise them. He says he made a stupid choice and denies he did it on purpose.

But, District Attorney Keith Schroeder reminded the judge that the boy had testified on the stand that he was placed in the dryer as punishment for wetting his pants. Schroeder called this cruel and inhumane corporal punishment.

At the time of Pritchard’s sentencing, Judge Rome called it one of the most heinous crimes he has ever had to presided over in all of his years and said there was no way he could grant any request to have Pritchard’s sentenced lowered. Judge Rose called the case sad.

So, despite his family members request, the sentence of 124-months stands.