Man draws 10 years for abusing toddler

PALMER — For abusing a three year old bad enough she had to be hospitalized with traumatic brain injuries, a 24-year-old man was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison.

And, for trying to hinder law enforcement’s attempts to prosecute of her boyfriend, the child’s mother received a month in jail and three years probation.

Michael Ponte and his girlfriend, Shannon Silook, 26, took their respective abuse cases to trial in January before Superior Court Judge Vanessa White.

Silook was found not guilty of assault but guilty of hindering prosecution. Jurors instead convicted Ponte of the assault.

“Judge Vanessa White today indicated she intended to send a message that assaults against the most vulnerable members of our community will not be tolerated. Judge White further remarked that Mr. Ponte will serve 10 years in jail but the child victim will likely be affected for the rest of her life,” prosecutor Trina Sears wrote in an e-mail regarding the sentencing. “Hopefully, the sentencing today provides a measure of closure for the victim and her family.”

The girl was taken to the emergency room in November 2009. The head injuries were bad enough to cause seizures.

At trial, doctors who examined the girl, including the only pediatric neurologist in Alaska, testified that the kind of trauma the girl suffered could only have been a result of physical abuse or some kind of high-speed car crash.

A doc tor hired by the defense argued that, actually, science isn’t as clear-cut as that and traumatic injuries of this type can happen from a simple fall, especially in children who had a previous brain injury like the girl had.

That doctor chalked up the injuries to the sledding trip the family had made before the girl was hospitalized.

Ponte’s 10-year term comes with an additional five years of suspended time, which he could be liable to serve if he re-offends after being released from prison. Silook’s term likewise comes with 23 months of suspended time. Her three-year probationary term is the amount of time she’ll have to stay out of trouble to avoid serving some of those suspended months.

Contact reporter Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.