VIRGINIA BEACH — A man who killed his 2-month-old daughter was sentenced Monday to 30 years in prison.
The term issued to La’Shaun Quintae Holloway by Circuit Judge Afshin Farashahi exceeded the high-end of Virginia State Sentencing Guidelines, which recommended that he serve no more than 23 years and 8 months, according to prosecutors.
Holloway, 27, was found guilty of second-degree murder and child abuse at the end of a three-day trial in August. According to prosecutors, Holloway was caring for his daughter on Dec. 20, 2019 when family members heard him over an Xbox headset yelling obscenities at the crying baby.
The girl eventually stopped crying and was later found unresponsive. She was taken to a hospital and put on life support, but died days later.
An autopsy showed the girl had sustained a fractured skull and clavicle, 26 rib fractures that were in various stages of healing, bruising on her chest wall and around her eyes, and an extensive brain bleed.
Holloway had previously been found guilty of child abuse and neglect in Chesapeake, and has several other felony and misdemeanor convictions.
Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Tabitha Anderson and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Megan Lang argued that the brutality of the girl’s death, her very young age, and Holloway’s prior record warranted a sentence above the guidelines, and the judge agreed, according to a statement from the prosecutor’s office.
Jane Harper, jane.harper@pilotonline.com
