Man killed toddler during bath because she was ‘ being aggressive’ and needed her to ‘calm down’

An Indiana man, Jesse A. Sartin, 25, has been arrested and charged with murder and aggravated battery after killing his girlfriend’s 21-month-old daughter by violently shaking her, resulting in catastrophic brain injuries. The incident has led to Sartin facing the possibility of decades in prison.

The tragedy unfolded on July 24, 2024, when officers from the Lawrenceburg Police Department were called to St. Elizabeth Hospital Dearborn.

Medical staff reported a “suspicious” head injury in the toddler, who had initially been brought in with claims that she had fallen after being knocked over by the family dog. Sartin reportedly told doctors that the child had fallen from an ottoman after the dog bumped into her.

However, due to the severity of the child’s injuries, she was quickly transferred to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where doctors performed emergency brain surgery in an attempt to remove a portion of her skull to help ease the pressure caused by the severe swelling of her brain.

Despite their efforts, the toddler’s brain swelled so severely that it herniated, causing brain tissue to “leak through her ears,” a condition that ultimately proved fatal.

The little girl died on August 1.

Investigations revealed that Sartin was alone with the child while her mother was at work. Sartin later admitted to police that he became frustrated with the toddler during bath time, claiming she was “being aggressive” and resisting when he tried to take her out of the tub.

Sartin confessed that in his frustration, he “shook” the child for about 20 seconds, an action that prosecutors say directly led to her death.

During a court hearing, Dearborn County Detective Jeremy Shepherd read a letter that Sartin allegedly wrote to his girlfriend after the incident. The letter described Sartin’s frustration as he struggled to get the child out of the bathtub, admitting that he shook her in an attempt to “calm her down.”

An autopsy confirmed that the child died from brain swelling, hemorrhages in both eyes, and spinal cord damage—all consistent with being violently shaken.

TOP STORIES:

• Brother and sister press charges against each other after a kitchen rage incident
• Ex-girlfriend stabs new girlfriend as boyfriend was busy telling his mom ‘he had the situation under control’
• Father tied up his daughter to a tree for 3 days because ‘she likes to lie’

Sartin is currently being held without bond at the Dearborn County Jail as he awaits trial.