Seven years in prison for man who assaulted baby

A Cloquet man was sentenced to 86 months in prison Friday, after pleading guilty to shaking, squeezing and dropping his infant daughter, then 12 weeks old, when he “snapped” in a moment of mental weakness. The sentence equates to seven years and two months in custody.

Orion Harrison Sinclair Verbist, 25, pleaded guilty in Sixth District Carlton County Court to felony assault in the first degree in April, and asked to be sent to prison as soon as possible. He was back from St. Cloud Correctional Center Friday, for his sentencing.

The mother of the baby, Carli Mendoza, gave her statement to the court before the sentencing and said she left for work that day thinking their child would be OK, and that Verbist was ready to take care of their baby.

Not only did he hurt her — something Mendoza said is still hard to fathom — but he lied about what happened for the next 12 hours. She recapped how Verbist called her, but didn’t “have the decency to man up and admit” what he’d done.

When their doctors at the second hospital stop finally determined the baby had a skull fracture and swelling, Verbist finally admitted dropping her, but insisted he had fallen asleep. The infant was transferred from St. Luke’s to Essentia and ultimately to Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, where she underwent a surgical procedure to relieve the pressure inside her skull. The baby was also diagnosed with a likely fracture to her arm, a fractured rib and possibly a second fractured rib, retinal hemorrhage, multiple seizures and multiple areas of bruising.

“I went a week without being able to see her beautiful little face,” Mendoza said. “I couldn’t hold her, give her kisses or even say her full name in case I would wake her, even through the drugs they were giving her.

“The damage you did will affect her for the rest of her life. How can I explain that to her? How can I trust anyone again?” Mendoza continued. “You will never get the joy of seeing her beautiful face and hearing her joyful laugh.

“I have no doubt that God saved her as she progresses every day. She may not have the life I imagined, but she will have a life surrounded by love.”

Assistant Carlton County attorney Jeffrey Boucher argued for the high end of the state sentencing guidelines, which called for 74-86 months.

“When you hurt your infant daughter, you caused damage that will last longer than any prison sentence,” Boucher said, noting that the baby was born eight weeks premature, and was only 12 weeks old, unable to defend herself or even communicate her pain when she had life threatening injuries that went untreated for 12 hours.

“Verbist’s lie and attempts to conceal the truth cost his daughter precious hours,” he said. “It’s impossible to know how different things would have turned out if he had owned up to his actions immediately.”

Verbist also addressed the court. He took blame for his actions, saying that he understood the scope of his misdeeds, planned to do everything he can to make himself a better person in prison, wanted to contribute child support and wished the best for their daughter, Mendoza and her family, who were with her in court. He said he would always love them but understood he would not be able to make amends.

“I’ll never forgive myself,” he said.

Judge Robert Macauley sentenced Verbist to 86 months, with the expectation that he will serve at least two-thirds of that time, or 56 months. He left the issue of restitution open until July 31.