A Clark County man who had been granted a second trial in the death of his 10-year-old daughter instead pleaded guilty in the case Wednesday.
Patrick Watkins pleaded guilty to murder in the death of his daughter, Michaela, and was immediately sentenced to 39 years in prison.
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Police say Watkins’ wife, Joy, was actually the person who beat their daughter to death, but Patrick Watkins was charged because he knew of the on-going abuse of the girl before her death and did not do anything to stop it.
Joy Watkins has also been convicted in the case.
Michaela’s body was found severely bruised and burned on March 11, 2007 in the family’s apartment. During testimony in the original trial of the pair, testimony revealed that Michaela was found to have a total 77 injuries, 35 on her head. She also had five crushed ribs, which were determined to have caused her death.
