Background: Justin Golden reads a statement in court at his sentencing on Dec. 19 (WJAX). Inset: Pablo Golden (GoFundMe).
A man from Florida is facing a lengthy prison sentence after a tragic incident where he abandoned his infant son in an intersection and ran him over with his vehicle.
Justin Golden, age 21, admitted guilt in September to charges of vehicular homicide and aggravated manslaughter. The charges stem from an incident where he placed his 8-month-old son, Pablo, on the road and ran over him with his GMC truck. On Friday, a judge sentenced Golden to 30 years in prison, remarking, “I have seen people exercise more care, caution and concern for a squirrel that darts into the roadway, a lizard that is on the hood of their car.” For more details, visit the source.
In court, Golden expressed deep remorse, taking full responsibility for the heart-wrenching crime. He stated, “While I did not intend to kill my son, and had no criminal intent, I know that is not enough. I failed as his protector, as his father, and I was the monster who killed him.”
According to reports from Law&Crime, on January 25, Golden and Pablo’s mother were en route to a Walmart in Jacksonville, Florida, with their infant son. The couple began arguing over issues reportedly related to “baby wipes and money.” This argument led them to stop at an intersection.
In the heat of the moment, Pablo’s mother exited the vehicle to end the argument. Golden claimed he “did not want to be responsible for the child,” so he placed Pablo in the road while still at the intersection. Golden then returned to the driver’s seat, shut the door, and drove away, tragically running over his son in the process.
Numerous bystanders witnessed the shocking event, observing the couple’s altercation from the start. One witness initially thought Golden was discarding a “bag of trash” until she saw movement and realized it was a child after Golden drove over it.
Pablo’s mother began screaming upon realizing what had happened to her baby. Police tracked down Golden not long after he drove away, and he was quickly arrested. Paramedics rushed Pablo to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Golden’s defense attorney argued for a lenient sentence, and family members appeared in court on his behalf. Prosecutors argued that Golden knew he was placing his baby son in harm’s way. The judge agreed with the prosecution and issued the maximum sentence.
