Sentenced: “This happens to people all the time, we can get through this, we could go to counseling

[Sugar Cookie]

A 15-month-old Lakewood girl showed signs of severe abuse before she died from “the worst” skull fracture doctors had seen in a young child, according to court records.

Nala Gantt was taken to Madigan Army Medical Center on Oct. 6 and died three days later. The Pierce County Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide.

Pierce County prosecutors charged her father, 42-year-old Matthew Gantt, with second-degree murder and tampering with a witness.

Gantt also is accused of trying to stop his wife of three years from speaking to detectives after Nala was hurt.

Doctors found she suffered from two fractured ribs and bruises on her legs, arms, back, stomach, head and face. She also was hemorrhaging in both eyes and had an extreme skull fracture that stretched 3.5 inches across the back of her head.

Five other fractures were healing.

When notified of his daughter’s death, Gantt allegedly said, “This happens to people all the time. We can get through this. We could go to counseling and get through this.”

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/crime/article220046080.html

 

[Knox]

If that's all it takes, they both deserve the most painful death and horrific after life. Poor little girl, breaks my heart think we read about this but she had to live it.

 

[Sugar Cookie]

I will reserve judgement on the mother for the time being because in the article it stated

His wife, who is pregnant, had a broken arm and black eye she said she got after falling off the roof of their home while fixing a leak.

https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/crime/article220046080.html

 

[Craygor]

His wife, who is pregnant, had a broken arm and black eye she said she got after falling off the roof of their home while fixing a leak.

Matthew "I told the bitch not to take that brat up on the roof with her" Gantt

 

[Granmaw]

Well hell yeah you'll "get through this", you got a spare cooking in the oven don't you asshole?

 

[Momzilla]

“This happens all the time”

Actually, he’s pathetically correct- we know from hanging around these forums that evil parents are beating their innocent children to death all the damn time!!

 

[Sejanus]

He would do it again in a heartbeat.
Count on it.

 

[Sugar Cookie]

Matthew Gantt read from Scripture before he was sentenced.

Gantt spoke about faith and redemption, and his struggles with mental health.

It's interesting, Judge James Orlando told him, that when people quote Scripture in court, they sometimes disregard relevant parts.

"Thou shalt not kill," the judge said. "Mr. Gantt, you killed your child."

Orlando sentenced him to 21 years, two months in prison for the death of 15-month-old Nala Gantt.

Gantt, 45, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, witness tampering and second-degree assault last year.

Nala died in October 2018, days after she was taken to Madigan Army Medical Center with a significant skull fracture and other serious injuries.

Gantt tried to stop the mother from speaking to police. She, too, was a victim of domestic violence, de Maine said. Two months before Nala died, Gantt broke the mother's arm with a baseball bat, and she did not get proper medical treatment. She was pregnant at the time with their second child. Ultimately she needed surgery to fix her arm, the prosecutor said.

The mother spoke to the court about losing her daughter, being a survivor of domestic violence, the trauma she experienced and recovering her identity. She described Gantt as manipulative and coercive.

He used a belt to make welts on her legs while she was pregnant with Nala, she told the judge, then refused to let her go to prenatal appointments and threatened that there better not be anything wrong with the child.

She also spoke about the level of control he exerted in the home, even over simple things.

Defense attorney Bryan Hershman spoke to the court about Gantt's mental health records. He said his client was in counseling at the time, suffered from hallucinations and hadn't been sufficiently treated. Gantt has a ninth grade education, struggled to maintain employment and has family ready to support him emotionally and financially, the attorney said.

When it was Gantt's turn to speak, he told the court: "The truth is I loved my family very much, and I tried to protect them."

He talked about his struggles with mental health and said he would not have intentionally hurt his wife or his child.

"The death of my daughter should have been prevented," Gantt said.

Judge Orlando told Gantt his actions toward his family had been "horrific."

He said he appreciated that Gantt had taken responsibility by pleading guilty and then imposed the sentence. He also ordered that Gantt not have contact with his surviving child while he's incarcerated, at least for the time being.

"I believe that you're a threat not only to your wife, but a threat to your child," the judge said.

Washington Man Sentenced for Fatally Abusing His 15-Month-Old Daughter

Matthew Gantt read from Scripture before he was sentenced Friday in Pierce County Superior Court. Gantt spoke about faith and redemption, and his struggles with mental health. It's interesting, …

www.chronline.com