PHOENIX — Editor's Note: The above video is from an earlier broadcast.
A Valley man was sentenced Tuesday to 34 years in prison after a jury convicted him of brutally beating a 9-week-old baby.
A Maricopa County judge sentenced Baudel Alejandro Bermudez, 37, to 17 years each for two counts of child abuse, a Class 2 dangerous felony. The sentences must run consecutively to each other.
The Arizona Department of Child Safety was first notified of the child abuse in January 2015.
"The baby had been transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries including an intracranial bleed and multiple skull fractures," DCS wrote in a report.
DCS identified Bermudez as the victim's father and reported no prior reports of abuse involving the family.
At least 165 children in Arizona have died from abuse and neglect since 2015, DCS data shows.
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office said the victim's injuries have had a permanent effect on the child's life.
“Law enforcement and prosecutors in this office have fought for more than five years to provide justice for a helpless baby who will never have the opportunity to live a normal life due to the head injuries she sustained at the hands of someone who was responsible for her care,” said County Attorney Allister Adel.
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