A Michigan resident, aged 32, was sentenced to 17 to 50 years in a state correctional institution. The sentencing is a result of a tragic 2020 episode where he fatally injured his 8-month-old child.

On Monday, September 11, 37th Circuit Court Judge John A. Hallacy declared the sentencing. Kyle Deering Kregling had entered a plea of no contest to a charge of second-degree murder. Consequently, the charges against him of first-degree child abuse and open murder were dismissed.

The case initiated when emergency personnel were alerted to Kregling’s residence in November 2020 after being informed about an unresponsive baby. The child, identified as Chris Kregling, was immediately taken to Bronson Methodist Hospital. Tragically, the baby boy passed away two days later due to serious head injuries.

Kregling initially reported that his son’s injuries resulted from a fall from the bed. But upon examination, officers at the scene doubted this version as the nature of the injuries seemed inconsistent with a mere fall. A subsequent autopsy conducted by the Calhoun County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that the infant’s death was, in fact, a homicide.

Details from a probable cause affidavit shed light on the incident. Kregling confessed that he had dropped Chris in their bedroom. Overwhelmed by the baby’s cries, he admitted to shaking him and ultimately slammed him to the ground. Following this action, the baby became unresponsive. In a state of panic, Kregling attempted different methods to resuscitate him, reached out to Chris’s mother, and eventually called 911.

Closing the case, Calhoun County Prosecutor David Gilbert remarked on the incident, stressing the impermissibility and preventability of child abuse fatalities.