Wichita man sentenced for abusing his 2-month-old son

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - A Wichita man has been sentenced to more than six years in state prison for abusing his 2-month-old son.

Prosecutors dropped an attempted murder charge against Thomas Avery Harper in exchange for his guilty plea to aggravated battery and child abuse.

Sedgwick County authorities say Harper was sentenced Friday to six years and four months in prison.

The Wichita Eagle reports Harper was arrested in October after police responded to a child abuse call at Wesley Medical Center.

The child’s 20-year-old mother told police the child had several injuries when she returned home after leaving the baby in his father’s care.

Prosecutors said Harper tried to kill the baby by putting both hands around his neck and squeezing. They also alleged he caused the child bodily harm and “cruelly beat” him.

___

Information from: The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, http://www.kansas.com