Man gets three years for hitting, throwing infant in her crib

By CNN Newsource

Published May 23, 2025 10:04 AM

By KAKE News Staff

TOPEKA, Kansas (KAKE) — A Kansas man was sentenced to over three years in prison for hitting and throwing an infant into her crib.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach announced Wednesday that 33-year-old Z.T. Rhodes, of Paradise, Kansas, was sentenced to serve 41 months in prison for felony abuse of a child. Rhodes pled guilty earlier this year on January 31.

Russell County District Court Judge Levi Morris imposed the sentence.

“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.”

After the 5-month-old victim was transported to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita with life-threatening injuries on July 23, 2024, 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.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation investigated the crime.

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