The Brief
- Tyler James Esponge was sentenced to 37 years, serving 17, for abusing a 3-year-old deaf and nonverbal child.
- The abuse was detected by a nurse and included injuries such as a fractured femur and bite marks; the case relied largely on forensic evidence due to the child’s inability to speak.
- Esponge, with a prior history of child abuse, was convicted on all charges with evidence from 10 witnesses and 29 exhibits presented during the trial.
- Judge ordered Esponge to have no contact with children under 18, responding to the state’s push for a substantial prison sentence.
- The Special Victims Unit and the Canton Police Department carried out the investigation leading to Esponge’s conviction and sentencing.
CANTON, Ga. – A Cherokee County man was sentenced to 37 years, with 17 to serve in prison for abusing a 3-year-old deaf and nonverbal child.
Tyler James Esponge, 38, was convicted of cruelty to children in the first degree, aggravated battery, and battery in August. He was sentenced on Oct. 16.
In addition to prison and probation, Cherokee County Superior Court Judge Tony Baker ordered Esponge to be forbidden from having contact with the victim or any other child under the age of 18.…