40-Year Sentence Upheld In Toddler's Suffocation Death
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 31-year-old Duluth man's 40-year prison sentence for suffocating his daughter has been upheld, according to the St. Louis County Attorney's Office.
The Minnesota Court of Appeals affirmed Christopher Dennis Peterson's sentence in a decision released Monday. The court ruled that the district court was not incorrect when it identified three aggravating factors as proper grounds for the longer sentence received by Peterson.
Peterson pleaded guilty in October 2014 to the July 5, 2014 death of his daughter, Layna. Peterson said he would frequently become frustrated with a Layna's crying and would stop her by placing his hand over her mouth and pinching her nostrils closed.
Related: Duluth Man Pleads Guilty To Murdering 13-Month-Old Daughter
Layna was found unresponsive by her mother shortly before noon on July 6, 2014. The child was pronounced dead when police arrived.
For his crime, the guideline sentence was from a range of 17 years to 24 years, but Peterson admitted that his crime included aggravating factors: the victim was particularly vulnerable, the offense occurred in the victim's zone of privacy and Peterson treated the girl with particular cruelty.
The district court also found that Peterson's "position of authority, superiority, confidence or trust" as a fourth aggravating factor supporting a longer sentence.
