Dannie Joe Farnum, 30, of Anza was sentenced to 25 years in state prison for murder and assault on a child leading to its death.
The seven-month old child was the son of his girlfriend, Delice Sharon Preston. Farnum was arrested and accused of killing his girlfriend’s son in November 2008. After a two-week trial, the jury found him guilty in September.
Farnum was watching the infant while Preston went shopping. During this time, he apparently dropped or beat the child. When Preston returned, Farnum went to the infant’s crib and cried out that he was not breathing. They called for emergency help. The baby died at the hospital.
Farnum could never explain to investigators how the infant was injured and his own six-year daughter, who was four when the incident happened, was video tapped discussing how her father had shaken the infant.
