UPDATE 11/6: Micah Patterson, 24, was sentenced to life in prison plus 40 years for first degree murder, object sexual penetration, and child abuse/neglect.
Update: On Thursday afternoon, the jury recommended a sentence of life plus 60 years for Micah Patterson. Circuit Court Judge Edward W. Hanson Jr. will formally sentence Patterson on November 6.
VIRGINIA BEACH--A jury convicted a Virginia Beach man Thursday accused of killing his girlfriend's baby in January 2012.
Micah James Patterson, 24, was convicted of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, object sexual penetration and child neglect.
Patterson was babysitting four-month old Aubrey Hannsz in their Ocean Trace Lane home in Va. Beach when he called 911 to say the child wasn't breathing, police said. Rescue crews took her to the hospital, where she died the next day.
The child suffered head trauma inflicted from shaken baby syndrome and other injuries.
During jury selection, potential jurors were told that prosecutors plan to present photos of the baby's injuries, including a bruised pelvis, anus, severe brain injury. Many of them said they could not handle seeing those images.
Patterson's defense attorney said he would argue there were no eye witnesses, no solid proof that his client was responsible for child's death. Also, he said Patterson had watched the child before and was good with the baby.
Prosecutors called a number of witnesses, including a medical examiner, the baby's mother and grandfather, a pediatrician, the 911 dispatcher who took the call and , 2 police officers and a sergeant who responded to the scene and a DNA analyst.
Patterson could face a maximum life in prison plus 50 years.
Had Aubrey lived, her family would have been celebrating her second birthday on Friday.
