By JORDAN OWEN
Chicago Sun-Times Wire
Arthur Carpenter | Cook County sheriff’s office
A West Englewood man has been sentenced to 24 years in prison for killing his 28-day-old son, Jahki Carpenter, in the Roseland neighborhood in 2013.
Arthur Carpenter, 24, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter of a family member, and aggravated battery of a child under 13 before Judge William Lacy on March 21, according to Cook County court records.
About 8 a.m. on Oct. 31, 2013, his mother left Jahki with his father in the 100 block of East 111th Street and went to school, authorities said at the time.
When the mother returned home a few hours later, she noticed the infant spit up blood twice, and later found bruising and scratching on his face. Jahki’s mother confronted Carpenter, and then took the infant to Advocate Trinity Hospital, authorities said.
Doctors determined the infant was in respiratory distress and transferred him to the University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital with an esophageal tear, authorities said.
Jahki died at 11:50 a.m. Nov. 11, 2013, at Comer Children’s Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. An autopsy confirmed he died from child abuse and the death was ruled a homicide.
Carpenter was arrested less than a month later and admitted to having sole care, custody and control of the infant between 8-11:15 a.m. Oct. 31, authorities said. He had two previous possession of a controlled substance convictions, and was given boot camp sentences.
Judge Lacy sentenced Carpenter to 24 years in prison for the involuntary manslaughter charge, and 14 years for the aggravated battery charge, according to court records. The sentences will be served concurrently, and Carpenter received credit for 838 days served in the Cook County Jail.
He was booked into the Illinois River Correctional Center in Canton to begin serving his sentence on March 22.