TOPEKA—A Kansas man will serve more than three years in prison for felony abuse of a child, according to Kansas Attorney General Chris Kobach.
On January 31, James Z.T. Rhodes, 33, of Paradise, pled guilty to the crimes. Russell County District Court Judge Levi Morris imposed the sentence of 41 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections.
On July 23, 2024, after the 5-month-old victim was transported to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita with life-threatening injuries, Rhodes admitted to becoming angry with the victim and throwing her into her crib.
He also admitted to forcefully striking the infant’s forehead with his open hand.
“Our job is to protect the most vulnerable,” said Assistant Attorney General Nicole Southall, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the Kansas Attorney General’s Office.
“Holding the abuser accountable before a homicide occurred is a fundamental step in our pursuit of justice for this child.”
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated the crime.