Provo » Cameron Reid Nielsen will spend at least 20 years in prison for killing his infant son.

Fourth District Judge David N. Mortensen sentenced Nielsen Monday to 20 years to life on Nielsen's guilty plea to aggravated murder charges. Mortensen recommended Nielsen get credit for 654 days he already spent in the Utah County Jail.

Nielsen, 24, admitted to police that he squeezed 6-week-old Jason Nielsen's ribcage, shook him and threw him against the inside of his crib. Jason suffered a torn liver, multiple broken ribs, a fractured skull and other injuries.

Jason died in foster care in October 2008. Nielsen was originally charged with eight counts of second-degree felony child abuse and one count of attempted murder, but the charges were upgraded to aggravated murder when Jason died.

The charges could have made Nielsen eligible for the death penalty under expanded child abuse punishments in Shelby's Law.

Mortensen said it is basic human nature, as well as a social more, to protect helpless infants from harm.

"Besides your children, you were the only one there. Instead of being a protector, you became an abuser," Mortensen told Nielsen during sentencing. "Frankly, that kind of abuse defies reason and must be punished to the full extent of the law."

Nielsen did not speak at the hearing, but his mother, Tamara Nielsen, read a statement accusing police and prosecutors of bias and misconduct, as well as blaming the press for demonizing her son while portraying his ex-wife -- and Jason's mother -- as blameless.

"This shameful case should be a shared responsibility between Cameron and Linnea, but it is not a murder charge," Tamara Nielsen said in an angry tone. She said her family suffered abuse and harassment at the hands of Nielsen's ex-in-laws.

Deputy Utah County Attorney Donna Kelly acknowledged that Nielsen was not "100 percent evil" but stressed that he needs to serve time for his crime and, hopefully, come out of prison a better person.

"We believe a lengthy sentence is appropriate, but he is an individual who is worthy to be released someday,"Kelly said.

But for that to happen, she said Nielsen will need to accept the punishment and take responsibility for what happened. She expressed the hope that his family would not interfere with that process.

Logan » A judge ordered a 26-year-old Logan man Wednesday to serve 50 years to life in prison Wednesday for repeatedly raping and sodomizing his hearing-impaired, 5-year-old stepdaughter.

First District Court Judge Kevin Allen called the abuse the most horrific case he had seen in more than 20 years, characterizing the stepfather as a "weak-minded predator" who tied an innocent child to a bed for "sick acts" and "torturous treatment."

Logan police say the man abused his wife's daughter approximately 26 times since January 2007 when the child was between 5 and 8-years old.

"You will never be able to make things right in this life for what you did to that little girl and the sentence I am about to give you hopefully will see to it that you never see the light of day," Allen said before handing down the sentence for felony rape of a child and felony sodomy of a child . "I am also recommending that the State of Utah not spend one dime on treatment for your demented views of sex as it is my hope and recommendation that you will never breathe free air again."

The defendant was ordered to serve two consecutive sentences of 25 years to life in prison, the judge said.

The victim's mother, who is also deaf, used a sign language interpreter Wednesday to tell Allen that her husband can be rehabilitated with treatment and that she wants to be married to him for eternity.

"I do not

Allen called the moter misguided, rebuking her for failing -- in letters to the court, interviews with investigators and in testimony to the court -- to show any sign of concern for her daughter's well-being or recovery. When police looked into a complaint three years ago, the mother told police her daughter was making it all up, Allen said.

"Since you talk about redemption and eternal families and forgiveness, let me remind you that there is no more solemn responsibility as a mother than to protect your children from those that would harm them," Allen said. "What did you think when you saw the bruises and rope marks on your daughter's legs and wrists? For three years your daughter was brutally raped and sodomized in your own home and you didn't know it until now?"

Allen also denied the mother's request to be allowed to visit the defendant by enforcing a no-visit order for anyone related to the victim.

Cache County prosecutors filed charges Monday against a man accused in the shaking death of his 4-month-old son.

Francisco Martinez, 36, of North Logan, faces one count of child abuse homicide, a first-degree felony, and two counts of inflicting serious physical harm against a child intentionally, second-degree felonies.

His son, 4-month-old Jesus Yandel Martinez, was pronounced dead at Primary Children's Medical Center just after 11 p.m. Sunday, said North Park police Sgt. John Italasano.

Jesus was on life support since Wednesday, after Martinez called 911 to report the child wasn't breathing. Paramedics took the infant to Logan Regional Medical Center from the home near 2500 North and 300 East, then flew him to Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake City.

Martinez was arrested Friday, after police and doctors found the child's severe internal head injuries were consistent with those of a shaken baby.

Martinez was the only adult at home with Jesus and three other children, believed to be 18 months old, 4 and 5 years old. The baby also had other, older injuries: A broken leg and two broken ribs that were in different stages of healing.

Police arrested Martinez on Friday in Salt Lake City, where the family was staying with relatives to be close to the child, and taken to Cache County jail. He remained in jail Monday. Immigration officials have also placed a hold on Martinez as he is suspected of being in

A 21-year-old mother charged Tuesday with attempted murder had told police last year that she was afraid she might kill her daughter.

Now, Emperatriz Meza-Reyna is again suspected of severely beating her same 7-year-old daughter, leaving her in a coma and fighting for her life.

Meza-Reyna took her daughter to Pioneer Valley Hospital on July 22 with several bruises, bites and injuries all over her body. During a CT scan, the girl went into cardiac arrest and was flown to Primary Children's Medical Center. There, she underwent brain surgery and remains in critical condition and in a coma.

Meza-Reyna told police her daughter fell down the stairs, but doctors say her injuries -- including bruises under her right eye, an ear, buttocks, left leg and ankle as well as a broken clavicle and bite marks on her torso -- are not consistent with a fall.

A doctor said the injuries appeared to have been caused by being hit with a hard object, such as a baseball bat or board, or being slammed into a hard surface, according to charges. Doctors had to remove a portion of the girl's skull to save her life, and they say she will almost certainly suffer brain damage as a result of the head trauma.

The latest injuries are similar to those the mother admittedly inflicted on her daughter in 2008, when she pleaded guilty to a pair of third-degree felony child abuse charges. When she was arrested on suspicion of that abuse, Meza-Reyna told officers she

But all of Meza-Reyna's prison time was suspended in that case. She served 17 days in jail and was given 36 months of probation. Police say Meza-Reyna's two other children do not appear to have been abused.

Daniel Obrien said he and his wife rented a basement room in their West Valley City home to Meza-Reyna and her family.

The Obriens lived upstairs, but he said they never heard anything that would make them think any abuse was occurring.

"She seemed like a good lady," Obrien said.

He said a few days ago Meza-Reyna had told him that her daughter had fallen down the stairs and was in a coma.

West Valley City police Capt. Tom McLachlan said the Division of Child and Family Services had custody of the Meza-Reyna's daughter for a period of time before she was returned to her mother several months ago.

DCFS spokeswoman Liz Sollis said she could not share specifics about Meza-Reyna's case, including whether or not the department is or has previously been involved with the Meza-Reyna family, due to confidentiality laws.

Meza-Reyna is being held in the Salt Lake County jail on $50,000 bail. She also has an immigration detainer against her, which means she will be deported once the case ends and she is released to federal authorities.

If convicted of first-degree felony attempted murder, Meza-Reyna faces a possible sentence of three years to life in prison. She could face one to 15 years in prison for the second-degree felony child abuse.