This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A Millcreek man will spend up to 30 years in prison in connection with the death of his 17-month-old stepson, a judge said Tuesday.
Codey Levi Jolley pleaded guilty in May to one count each of second-degree felony child abuse homicide and child abuse for fatally injuring Ethan Antes.
On Tuesday, 3rd District Judge Richard McKelvie ordered Jolley to served consecutive prison terms of one to 15 years as punishment for his crimes.
Court papers say Antes was fatally injured on April 29 while in Jolley's care. The child was hospitalized and died on May 1 after being removed from life support at Primary Children's Hospital.
Jolley originally told police he found the toddler face-down in the tub after leaving him alone to check on food cooking in the microwave.
In plea agreement documents, however, Jolley said he left the child in the for "an extended time" and then unsuccessfully attempted CPR. In the documents Jolley said "the actions he took [that] caused cessation of breathing included inserting his finger in the child's mouth and compressing his chest so severely as to completely impair the child's ability to breathe."
Charging documents contradicted Jolley's bathtub story, noting that the child's hair and body were dry, as was the tub.
An autopsy found Antes had suffered multiple bruises to his body, massive brain swelling and healing burns on his face.
The boy's mother told police she was at a job interview when the scalding occurred, court papers say. She also told investigators that Jolley had claimed the boy had fallen down the stairs and fallen out of his high chair.