Man sentenced for shaking newborn son

FERRYSBURG, Mich. (WOOD) - A man was sentenced Monday for shaking his baby so hard that resulted in the child suffering serious brain injuries.

Justin McIntyre will spend between 19 months and 10 years in prison.

He was found guilty last month of abusing his son, Bentley, who was 6 weeks old at the time of the August 2012 incident at the family's Ferrysburg residence.

Bentley was hospitalized for about three weeks for treatment to seizures, bleeding from the brain and a staph infection. Doctors are still trying to assess his future.

"We have no idea of the significance of the brain damage; whether he will come through it kind of OK or if he will have lifelong effects, which is pretty much what we are expecting," Bentley's grandmother Patti VanOmmen told 24 Hour News 8 Monday. "We still have doctors visits, all kinds of neuro and neurologists and hearing doctors and vision doctors and physical therapists and speech therapists."

McIntyre, wearing county orange and shackled at the hands and feet, had very little to say in court.

"I am sorry for what I have done," he told the judge.

VanOmmen said that's not enough for her.

"Bentley will be hurt for the rest of his life and so 19 months is the least he can get? It doesn't seem fair to me," said VanOmmen.

Kaylee Zalsman, mother of  now 6-month-old Bentley, fought back tears during the sentencing and declined to speak with 24 Hour News 8.

VanOmmen, Zalsman's mother, said the family is now focused on the continuing care of Bentley.